


Start Anew

by TweakerWolf (Frostbyte)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Fluff, Idiot harry, Jealous Pansy, angry! Ginny, canon character death, idiot Ron
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-02-23
Updated: 2014-08-13
Packaged: 2018-01-13 13:13:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 66,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1227694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Frostbyte/pseuds/TweakerWolf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Set during 6th year: Draco, who is without the Dark Mark, is found by Hermione instead of Harry in the girl's bathroom. What will happen when the two meet in less than ideal conditions, both stressed and upset?</p><p>Edit (2-19-2016): going through and editing this before working on the next chapter, never really had a beta for this story and this was my first ever fanfic so I’m sure it needs work!!!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chance Meeting

**Author's Note:**

> This started as a one-shot, that's why this chapter ends where it does, but so many people showed interest in it, that I decided to write more and make it a full fic =D

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Setting: 6th year at Hogwarts, Draco (without the Dark Mark) is in the bathroom, stressed and upset. Someone other than Harry chances upon him. His mission (to kill Dumbledore is what will pull him into the Death Eater fold, he has to prove himself first, instead of already having the Mark). Hermione is greatly upset with Ron and Lavender dating and being very PDA about it (also having not made up at this point).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> only changed marginal things, fixed errors, spiced up some sentences, etc. I'm not changing the core of the story AT ALL, just... it has been a few years since I wrote the beginning of this and wow, I sure have changed a lot. So I decided to update it just a bit =) feel free to re-read if you want, or just wait a bit for the new chapter =D

Hermione needed to find a quiet space to gather her wits after seeing Ron and Lavender kissing in the stairway. She wiped her eyes and suddenly thought of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Since Myrtle still occupied the bathroom she figured she'd have the place to herself. She hurried over and pushed her way in, glad to be away from prying eyes. As the door closed, she heard someone else sobbing, someone that wasn't Myrtle. Hermione slowly walked further into the bathroom, peeking around the corner to see someone leaning over the sink. She inadvertently sniffled loudly, startling the person at the sink, who raised his tear-streaked eyes to look into her own. It was none other than Malfoy staring back at her; she felt her jaw drop in shock, tears still rolling down her cheeks. Malfoy quickly reached up his sleeve and pulled out his wand, sparking to Hermione pull hers out defensively.

"What are you doing in here?" Draco demanded.

"This is a girl's bathroom if you haven't noticed, you're the one that doesn't belong in here," Hermione retorted through her tears.

Draco stared at her, unsure of what to do, he couldn't stand to have her see him like this, of all people to walk through that door, it had to be her. He slowly lowered his wand and pulled his sleeve across his eyes, "Go away Hermione, please" he said softly.

Hermione started to turn away, putting her wand back in her robes. She didn't need to deal with him right now, and if he didn't want conflict, all the better. She was about to grab the handle when she suddenly stopped, head turning back. "What did you say?"

"I said go away, don't focus too much on the 'please' part."

"No, I'm not concerned about the 'please' part," Hermione said, taking a few steps toward him, "You called me Hermione. You have _never_ called me that, it's always been Granger, at your most polite."

Malfoy turned away from her, unsure of what to say to her, he wasn't ready for this, wasn't prepared to see her like this. He took a steadying breath. "Okay, I called you by your name, so what? I'm clearly not myself right now. You're upset by something too so let's both just go our separate ways and pretend this never happened, sound good?"

Hermione just looked at him, daring to take another step closer. This wasn't like Malfoy at all, to be so exposed, to not be making fun of her, or casting spells. She wasn't sure what to say, after all these years of seeing him as a self-centered, arrogant pure-blood, it was unexpected to see him so vulnerable.

"Draco…?"

Hearing her say his name like that, his heart skipped a beat, he held his breath. Slowly he turned to look into her eyes, heart beating faster.

"W-what?" his voice caught.

"What's wrong? Why are you upset, holed up in the girl's bathroom?"

"I can't tell you Hermione, it doesn't concern you and it wouldn't be fair of me to pull you into it," Draco said. As they stood there, he began taking in the details of her face, shocked that she even approached him in the first place.

"You can tell me Draco… for some reason, seeing you like this… it makes me want to help you," she blurted out suddenly, totally aware of how sunken in his cheeks were, showing just how much stress he'd been under the past few months. It wasn't like him to look so disheveled… Hermione bit her lip to stop it from trembling; just being this close to him made her heart flutter.

"There's so much going on in my life right now, everything feels like it's falling apart, my dad is in jail, which you know, there are… people harassing my family, and I've been tormented by something for going on six years now and I still have no idea what to do about it," Draco finally confessed in a rush.

"Well I'm not much better, I've had things thrown in my face all year and I'm beyond stressed with all of this nonsense," Hermione shared, exasperated, her voice starting to crack. She knew she had no reason to be so mad at Ron for his new relationship but… just seeing him and Lavender kissing all the time, it hurt. It made the fact that she was agonizingly single that much more obvious!

Draco heard her voice crack as she dropped her gaze. He wanted to reach up and stroke her cheek but held his hand by his side. He had no right to touch her, he knew that.

"Hermione, I-I can't stand to see you like this, don't cry," he pleaded.

"Why does it matter to you? You've never cared before," Hermione said, turning her head away.

"I-I've always cared Hermione, I've always felt… something for you, something I couldn't quite explain. When I first saw you at Hogwarts, I was intrigued by you- you were so smart, knowing all these things about Hogwarts that I never cared to know. But then I found out that you had Muggle parents and my stomach dropped. Being Muggle-born meant you probably wouldn't be sorted into Slytherin like I was… and of course you got sorted into Gryffindor of all Houses, our rivals. With all the hostilities that were ingrained in me, I never got the chance to meet you on good terms. Of course, everyone else in Slytherin learned you were Muggle-born pretty quickly, many of them jealous of how smart you were, so I felt trapped- I couldn't just come up and say hi to you. I wanted to so badly… but every time I saw you, I froze, unsure of what to say… and Crabbe and Goyle were always there so I couldn't say anything that they'd tell my father," Draco explained, pausing a moment, looking ashamed. His reasons sounded so pathetic, now that he'd finally voiced them aloud. So was probably going to laugh in his face, tell him how stupid he was…

Hermione's jaw dropped, surprised at this confession. This was the farthest thing she had expected, she didn't even really believe he meant it. She couldn't let herself believe he meant it- this was a trick! Somehow… he'd found out about her secret crush on him. Hermione hadn't told a soul, fearing the added ridicule but she must have slipped up somewhere. And now he was trying to con her into admitting her feelings, that… that had to be what was happening here. Hermione didn't stop to think about the fact that Draco had no way of knowing that she'd seek refuge in the bathroom.

"I… I said all these horrible things to you over the years, such horrible things. Each time I wanted to curse myself, here I was, trying to plan some way to meet you privately but every time I opened my mouth I said all the wrong things- I kept digging myself deeper into a hole! I made you hate me with my words and actions. I have no one to blame but myself," he finished, his voice catching, tears building in his eyes. He was still afraid to look at her, to see the hate in her eyes even now.

Hermione slightly shook her head, unwilling to believe what she was hearing. The anguish on his face seemed so real, so heart wrenching. She felt her face growing red at his confession, at hearing those words spoken to her. She knew she should hate Draco- she had always pretended to dislike him, but she could never bring herself to truly feel that way. She had always been drawn to him, he seemed so self-assured, positive of his place in this world, something that she lacked in herself. She knew his arrogant ways were the result of his upbringing and couldn't fault him for it, hoping deep down that he'd realize the world was more than black and white one day. His words were chipping away are her walls, her harden shell of protection she'd built against him. Could she risk believing him?

Draco slowly raised his eyes back to Hermione's, studying her face, trying to read her thoughts. "Hermione, I know you probably think I'm lying, and I don't blame you, but please, give me a chance to show you that I'm not the person you think I am. Give me a chance to show you that I care for you, that I can fight the bigotry that my father instilled in me. This past year has changed a lot of things for me, and one of them is realizing that life is too uncertain to keep your feelings locked away inside," begged Draco, tears falling from his eyes. It was now or never, he knew this would be his only chance to tell her the truth. He just prayed she'd believe him.

Hermione remained silent, unsure of what to say, of how to feel. She felt her heart beating erratically from being this close to him, her cheeks still flushed from the confession. Before she could think of anything to say, Draco dropped to his knees in front of her.

"Hermione, you are the smartest person I know, you are so loyal and brave, standing by your friends' side through everything. For years now, I wanted to be the one by your side, sharing your battles, smiling at you, knowing that together we survived the year. But it never came to be, and I at least need to tell you all of this before it's too late for me. I'm sorry, so very sorry, for everything I've said and done to you in the past. Please, if you won't give me a chance, at least try to forgive me, even a little."

"Draco, please stand up, I-I-" stammered Hermione, at a loss for words.

Draco slowly stood up, looking into her face, seeing the indecision in her eyes. He took a small step forward, now only a foot away from her. Hermione was looking up at him, staring into his eyes. She brought a hand to her lips, not trusting herself to say the right thing. Draco could see her hesitation, so instead of waiting for her to speak, he asked a simple question.

"Do you think, you could ever give me a chance to show you the new me?"

Hermione knew in her heart what she wanted to say but her brain screamed no, what would Harry say? She closed her eyes and looked deep into herself, hoping to find the right words. She opened her eyes, not thinking of what to say but trusting her feelings to guide her.

"I- I won't say no, but I can't fully commit to yes either… I think," Hermione paused, taking a deep breath. She saw Draco's eyes widen just a bit, unsure whether or not her next statement was going to be good. "I think if I were to make any decision, it would first require that you ask me on a date, a real date, not a chance meeting in a bathroom." Hermione offered a soft smile, eyes downcast, unable to look him in the eye. Now it came down to him and what he would do.

Draco couldn't believe what he'd just heard, she hadn't quite agreed to forgiving him, or giving him a chance, but at least telling him he had an opportunity to try. Hermione turned slowly and started to walk away. Draco felt his heart drop, watching her walk away like this- he didn't want it to end on that note. He started after her, reaching out for her.

Hermione felt his hand close softy around her wrist, gently turning her back towards him. She felt her eyes gaze upward of their own accord, searching out his grey eyes. She felt his free hand come up and stroke her cheek and her knees started trembling. Draco lowered his head, meeting her lips with his in a soft kiss. His hand moved from her cheek to the back of her neck, gently cupping her head; his other hand released her wrist and wrapped around her waist, pulling her closer. Hermione lost herself in the kiss, her arms wrapping around his back, grabbing hold of his shoulders. Draco gently backed her up against the door, letting go of her head, pressing his palm against the door. Their kiss deepened, both of them forgetting their past and wanting the now. Draco pressed his hips into Hermione's, silently telling her how much he wanted her. Hermione gasped, surprised by Draco's actions and he took that moment to gently brush his tongue against her lower lip. She met his tongue with hers, pulling him closer, running her hand through his hair, moaning softly, arching her back.

Hermione flicked her eyes open and quickly shifted her weight, turning them both, Draco now pressed against the door. She gently bit his lower lip and pulled away from the kiss, shocked at her own boldness; she was feeling much better.

Draco opened his eyes, shocked at how that small nibble sent tingles down his spine. He looked to her face and saw her biting her lip, and he couldn't believe how adorable she was. He looked at her lips, wanting to taste them again, wanting to hold her tight, to feel her heart beating as fast as his. He smiled at her, hoping she'd smile back. And she did, dropping her gaze, feeling embarrassed but she couldn't stop smiling at what they'd just done. Hermione leaned into Draco, her head tilting up, finding his ear. "Draco, don't forget, a real date and soon," she whispered softly.

Draco rubbed his cheek against her hair, breathing in deep, savoring the smell of her. He felt her kiss his neck and start to pull away; he leaned against the door to stop her from leaving. He reached out, lifting her chin with his fingers, softly kissing her lips one last time.

"I promise Hermione, it will be soon. Now no more crying, your face is too beautiful to show anything but happiness. Smile, I'm here for you now, whenever you need me."

Draco stepped away from the door, allowing her to leave. He held the door slightly ajar, watching her leave. She quickly glanced back, wanting to make sure he was still there, that it was all real. Draco was there, watching her go, a smile on his face, matching the smile on hers.


	2. Second Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What will happen when Hermione sees Draco again? Will it all be for naught? Or will he truly prove he wants to change?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 2-24-16: Changed things around a bit more than I thought. Just added more depth to the thoughts of Draco and Hermione, keeping the situation real. Obviously they are smart enough to remember the seriousness of the situation they are in. Before it just seemed so... casual of them to not focus so much on Draco's problems and such.

As she turned away, she had to remind herself to not run up to the common room with glee. She wondered what would happen next, if, no, _when_ he'd ask her out. He did promise, and he was smiling as much as she was. She quickly went up the stairs, telling the Fat Lady the password, and then ran up to her dormitory. She flopped on her bed, pulling the curtains around her, squealing uncontrollably and not even caring if anyone was around to hear her. She couldn't stop thinking of that kiss, of how Draco's hands wrapped around her pulling her close. She couldn't describe how happy she felt when Draco stopped her from leaving, that moment was when he truly proved that he meant what he said. Because he wasn't willing to let her just walk away, Draco showed that he couldn't stand losing her. And she knew it was because he had to make sure she understood just how sincere he was. Wasn't that what all the men did in the movies, go after the girl before it was too late? Draco didn't even hesitate to stop her, and he was so gentle about it. All too soon Crookshanks jumped up onto the bed, meowing to let her know that it was dinner time, pulling her out of her daydream.

Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she sat up and made her way to the common room to meet up with Harry. She hoped that he didn't notice anything different with her, she definitely felt like she was floating compared to the past week. As she made her way to the portrait hole, she saw Harry waiting for her, relief flooding through her at not having to make small talk with Ron, or more specifically, listen to him and Lavender. "So I take it Ron has already left for dinner?"

"Yea, left just a minute ago, I figured I'd wait for you," Harry replied with a friendly shrug.

"Thanks, nothing like walking down by yourself," Hermione said.

Together they went down to the Dining Hall making small talk while Hermione tried to keep her stomach from fluttering, hoping to sneak peeks at Draco from the table. She figured she wouldn't draw suspicion by choosing to sit facing the Slytherin table since she normally sat facing that way. As the duo was almost to Dining Hall, they collided with someone in their path. Hermione saw Harry stumbling backwards as she felt herself losing her balance, but before she fell, a hand firmly grasped her wrist, steadying her. As she glanced up to see who had stopped her from falling over, she found herself staring into Draco's grey eyes. She blushed as he helped her find her feet again, offering him a small smile in thanks.

"You should be more careful, these stone floors are quite hard," Draco said with a smile, praying it didn't look like a smirk.

"Get your hands off of her Malfoy," Harry warned as he righted himself. The dark-haired boy took a threatening step forward.

"Easy there Potter, no need to get all riled up," he replied coolly, still holding onto Hermione's wrist. He let go after a moment, motioning Crabbe and Goyle into the Dining Hall.

Hermione felt Draco press a piece of parchment into her hand just before he let go; she held it firmly in her hand as she watched him make his way to the Slytherin table.

"You alright Hermione, he didn't try to hurt you?" Harry asked.

"Yeah I'm fine, don't worry about it, let's go eat dinner."

They made their way to their table and found some empty space among the Quidditch team. As they piled food on their plates, Harry quickly became absorbed with Quidditch talk, leaving Hermione to eat in peace. She glanced up and down the table, making sure no one was looking at her before she opened her hand to look at the parchment. She was slightly afraid to open it, preparing herself for bad news… but there was no sense in waiting, she took a deep breath and unfolded the note.

_Hermione,_  
_Meet me in the bathroom after dinner as soon as you can_  
_and remember to smile,_  
_-DM_

And smile she did as she reread the note, once again thinking of the moment they shared earlier. She folded the note and put it in her pocket, glancing over at the Slytherin table and immediately finding Draco's grey eyes looking her way. Giving him a slight nod, she let him know she'd be there- of course she'd be there! Hermione somehow managed to make it through dinner, talking with the students next to her, waiting for dinner to be over.

Draco didn't eat much- he was too excited at the thought of meeting with Hermione again. It felt like forever since they parted this afternoon. He couldn't believe his luck at running into her outside the Great Hall. After he went back to the dormitory that afternoon, he realized that he wasn't sure how to approach her, whether he should just walk up to her and start a conversation, or if that would cause more problems for her. Potter and Weasel were quick to tense up around him so it wasn't going to be easy to build a bridge, but the Weasel seemed to be quite preoccupied lately so hopefully that would work in his favor. Draco knew he'd try whatever he could just to talk to her again, even if that meant facing her friends.

After what seemed like an eternity, Dumbledore bid them a good night and the students started filing out to go back to their dorms. As Draco stood and made his way out of the Hall, he motioned for Crabbe and Goyle to head back to the dormitory without him. After they were out of sight he quickly strode down the hallway and made his way to Myrtle's bathroom. He knocked three times and waited for Myrtle to appear; he stood off in the shadows, making sure no one saw him there. After just a moment Myrtle stuck her head through the door and smiled at him before ducking back in. Draco knew it was all clear and walked into the bathroom.

"Back again so soon Draco? Oh but don't you look much happier than before, does that mean you won't see me as often now?" Myrtle asked, pouting.

Draco's smile faded, he looked over at Myrtle, knowing what she meant, "I'm trying to not think about that right now. You know what kind of stress I'm under."

"And that's why I'm here to help you! You need someone to talk to right? I'll always be here, we can talk about anything."

"I'm meeting someone here and I need you to keep it secret okay, like all of our other talks. Do you promise?"

"I care for you Draco, but I know that it would never work between us, so I guess I'll have to keep quiet, just promise to visit every now and again." Myrtle sighed, of course he'd rather be with Little-Miss-Living instead of her. She couldn't blame him though, she was a ghost after all.

"I will, being able to talk about everything helps- you've been a great friend though all of this. I'm still under a lot of pressure to complete my task… It's not like my problems have suddenly disappeared," he mumbled glumly. "But, I do have a new reason to be happy- hopefully she can pull me out of my funk," he added on, smiling again at the thought of Hermione.

Myrtle gave him a smile and disappeared into her stall; she was glad that he found someone, someone alive, that could make him smile. Honest she was.

Draco leaned against the sinks, wondering what he'd tell Hermione when she got here. He didn't have long to think though because Hermione came into the bathroom just a few moments later. Now, as long as his confidence didn't fail him!

"Fancy seeing you here again so soon," Hermione joked.

Draco chuckled, "It feels good to smile again, it's been a long time."

"I agree, I've spent most of this year so far pretty stressed out," she agreed as she stepped closer to him.

Before he registered what he was doing, he wrapped his arms around Hermione, pulling her in close. He felt her reach into his robes and wrap her arms around him. It felt good to hold her close to him; it already felt so natural to have her in his arms.

"So, I asked you to meet me here because I remembered there was a Hogsmeade trip coming up this weekend, and I was wondering if you'd like to accompany me- we can do whatever you'd like," Draco asked as he started to rub Hermione's back.

"I think a trip out of this school would be amazing! You move fast, I only mentioned a real date earlier this afternoon." Hermione closed her eyes, spending the day with Draco at Hogsmeade, so soon after discovering that her crush wasn't one-sided? Things were just falling into place so fast and her head was spinning.

"I'll admit it was pure luck that I ran into you at dinner, I'm glad I decided to write that note when I did. I was going to keep it on me until I could pass it to you, and that just happened to be the tonight."

"Speaking of chance meetings, why did you want to meet here," she asked as she leaned back to look into Draco's eyes.

"Well, I thought about what I should do, and I figured that grandstanding wouldn't make things easy, considering my reputation with you Gryffindors, especially with Potter and Weasley. I didn't want to cause any strife, so I figured I'd ask you here, where we can discuss everything privately."

"Well I'm glad that you thought about the consequences before just coming over to our table at dinner. That would have only caused a huge scene and I doubt we would've even gotten the chance to talk to each other. I do want to get to know the sensitive side of you, the one I connected with earlier, but I know if people found out, the chances of us getting to know each other goes down. I know many of your friends don't like me, Pansy would be jealous I'm sure."

"I can deal with them, although I'm sure you could hold your own, I won't let them do anything to you."

"That would be a surprise to all of them- you standing up for me. Things will be just as hard on my end though, there's no way Harry or Ron would accept this, no one in Gryffindor would," Hermione said as she looked down. This… this wasn't going to be easy…

"Hey now, what did I tell you about smiling? If we are going to put in the effort, it will be worth it, the rest will come," Draco assured her. He really couldn't say for sure which group of friends would have the uglier reaction.

Hermione smiled and rested her head against Draco's chest, sighing. She wanted to believe him, but there was so much to consider, could anything between them actually work?

"What's on your mind? I heard that sigh."

"Do you really think it will work? Between us, with you being Draco, and me being Hermione?" she whispered.

"I'm sure it won't be easy, but a lot has been going on with me this past year, I've realized so many things, about myself and about my family, and our so-called 'friends,' "Draco responded, resting his cheek on Hermione's hair. "I'm not the same kid that gave a horrible first impression our first year, the kid who gloated about the chamber of secrets our second year. And I'm definitely trying not to be the kid that you punched our third year." God, Draco remembered that day vividly! The anger he'd seen in her eyes! He had thought for sure that her glare alone would set him on fire. She sure could pack a punch too. Honestly, he knew he was a prat and damn he was proud of her that day.

Hermione laughed at that memory, hugging Draco even tighter. Draco laughed with her, enjoying the moment before he gently pulled back from their embrace, cupping Hermione's chin.

"I can't apologize enough for the prat I've been in the past, but I can promise that I'm not the same person. When you walked in here earlier, you caught me at a very vulnerable moment. I was horrified that you were seeing me like that and on instinct I pulled my wand. But then I saw you were upset and in that moment I realized that I didn't want to treat you with hostility, not anymore. I didn't want to cause you any more grief or lie to you... In that moment, I realized I was tired of hiding, I was going to show you the true feelings I have for you, regardless of the consequences. Although I must say, with you here in my arms, I don't think it turned out too bad."

Hermione smiled in agreement, raising her hand to cover his, and turning to kiss his palm. She closed her eyes in bliss, happy to forget about everything for just a few more minutes. Maybe now she could understand why Ron was so openly affectionate with Lavender… when you were with someone that made you happy… you couldn't hold it in.

Draco looked down at her, seeing relaxation come over her features. He stroked her cheek with his thumb, leaning down and kissing her forehead. He pulled her close again, embracing her, afraid to let go of her and find out this has all been a dream. Could things really go right in his life for once?

"That reminds me, earlier you said that you wanted to tell me about your feelings before it was too late, what did you mean?"

Draco took a deep breath, thinking about how much to say, "Now, I promised myself I wouldn't lie to you, but I'm not sure… I don't think… The less you know the better this time. You know my family has been close with… The Dark Lord, and there is a lot of pressure on me since Dad is in jail- I'm the head of house now. But I don't want you to worry about that okay? I don't want to put you at risk, you get enough of that just being friends with Potter. Hell, just talking to you is probably very dangerous, but at the same time, you have the right to know the truth of the situation." The blond sighed and furrowed his brow. How could he be straightforward with her when he needed to keep his mission a secret? "I can't pretend that the danger doesn't exist. I… I can't give you details but the truth is, I'm a threat to your wellbeing. Do you still want to continue getting to know me, considering I have a perilous secret?"

Hermione paused, thinking about what he just said. Of course she had known about the Malfoy's history, but she had been trying to lie to herself about Draco's involvement in his family's affairs. Despite all of that, she knew she wouldn't fight her feelings for him anymore- she had seen danger before and she wasn't going to run now. Draco was willing to fight the odds and so was she! She was friends with Harry Potter after all, there was nothing that Draco could be involved in that was more dangerous than what they'd already been through. She gave him a reassuring squeeze, "Did you want to meet at The Three Broomsticks at noon this weekend, or maybe somewhere else?" Hermione asked, showing Draco she was still willing to try, that she wasn't scared. "That place might be a little crowded with students, we might not want to be seen together there."

Draco let out the breath he had been holding, relieved. He knew it wasn't fair, that he had dodged the question but he couldn't risk telling her about his mission. There was no way in hell that he was going to let her come into this relationship blind though, he respected her more than that. Hermione was at least aware of the danger now, and Draco would do his best to protect her from it. "We can go anywhere you want, if you think you can handle being there, we can go, I won't let anything happen to you. But if you just want to walk around and talk that's fine with me too."

"Walking around sounds good, we can meet up at The Three Broomsticks and go from there, if we walk around we shouldn't be bothered as much."

Draco nodded his head, running his hands through her hair, moving it back from her ear. He softly kissed the top of her ear, running his lips downward and then gently nibbled on the lobe. He smiled when Hermione gave a small gasp and ran her hands down his shoulders. Continuing down the side of her neck, he kissed his way down to her collarbone, slowly pulling away to look at her face.

"You've given me goose bumps Draco," Hermione whispered breathlessly as she looked into his eyes.

"I love hearing you say my name like that, your voice is mesmerizing," Draco told her, as he stared deep into her eyes, captivated.

Hermione, feeling bold, brought her arms up around Draco's neck, pulling him down for a kiss. As their lips met, she found his lower lip, and softly bit down on it. As she released his lip, she felt Draco's tongue brush across her top lip, she caressed his tongue with her own, pulling him closer. The kiss deepened, both of them exploring each other, not wanting to break apart. Hermione gently pulled on his lower lip and began sucking on it softly. Draco moaned and grasped her hips, pushing her up against a closed stall, his thumbs reaching just under her shirt rubbing her bare sides.

"Your skin is so soft… never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd be here, with you," Draco murmured as he rested his forehead against hers.

"You mean you don't sneak into girl's bathrooms often? Or at least not with girls like me?"

"Well if by girls like you, you mean brilliant, brave, and stunning then of course not. But I also haven't made a habit of sneaking into girl's bathrooms either. It's not like there are a lot of girls in here for me to spy on, you have nothing to worry about."

Her breath caught in her throat, surprised by his complements, "Do you mean that?"

"There are so many words that come to mind when I think of you, all these years I've been looking at you from far away, wanting to be by your side, wanting to be the one to make you smile, hold your hand, be your shoulder to cry on. But I was afraid… although now I've finally got my chance to show you how I feel. So every day, I'll find words to describe my feelings and thoughts of you; you are beautiful, and of course you're brilliant, everyone here knows that. And you are compassionate, anyone else wouldn't have given me a chance to explain myself."

Draco stared into Hermione's eyes, saw how his words affected her, noticed the tears welling up in her eyes; he brushed his lips against her forehead once more before pulling her to his chest.

"I told you, I'm here for you now. All those words are true and heartfelt; I'll never lie to you and I'll never miss another moment to cherish the beautiful person you are."

"I believe you, I truly do. This is just all so new to me, it still feels unreal. We'll see how real it feels on our date. See you at breakfast?" Hermione asked.

"Well of course, I never miss breakfast, never miss a chance to see you."

Hermione smiled into his chest, breathing in his scent, "We really need to go, but I don't want to leave."

"I know Hermione, but there is plenty of time for us to get close. Now isn't the time for us to get into trouble and get privileges revoked," he reminded her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her away from the stall. Hermione leaned on his arm as they took the few steps towards the door, she had never felt this way with Viktor. Her heart was a little heavy, knowing that Draco was in some kind of trouble though… hopefully he'd trust her someday soon, enough to tell her more. But she wasn't going to push, that would ruin the moment.

As Draco opened the door for her, she reluctantly let go off his hand and stepped out into the hall. She turned and smiled, blowing him a kiss before making her way to Gryffindor tower. Draco felt his heart melt when she blew him a kiss, this felt better than he ever could have imagined. As he left the bathroom with a smile on his face, he realized he was going to have to get a grip on his emotions before walking into the common room; he didn't need Crabbe and Goyle questioning him right now.


	3. Can't Wait

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Draco wonder what the upcoming date might be like, everyone is a little nervous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit: 2-24-16: Soooo, I changed Hermione's feelings about Ron and Lavender and their whole fight in general. Since I wrote her as always having a crush on Draco, it didn't really make sense that she was just soooo jealous of Ron/Lavender because of some crush she may be having on Ron. Reading back over it now, I realized how much it bothered me XD So, I fixed it! It doesn't change much about the story at all (at least for this chapter, can't promise what it might change in the future.) but I think it just fits so much better now!

*The Next Day*

Hermione woke up early, figuring she'd get a little bit of her homework out of the way so she'd have plenty of free time this weekend. She couldn't seem to calm down and she still had three days until the Hogsmeade trip; classes were going to be a nightmare. Hermione forced herself to focus on the Ancient Runes homework in front of her, it wasn't due for a few days but it was always better to get it done ahead of time than at the last minute. Before she knew it some of the other students came stumbling down into the common room, so Hermione packed up her work and waited for her friends to appear. It wasn't long before she heard Ron's loud grumbling and Harry's muted response; they definitely weren't morning people.

"Come on you two, let's go get breakfast, we've got a full day of classes."

"Oh Sweetheart, wait for me!" Lavendar called out as she came running down the stairs.

Hermione groaned inwardly, she really didn't want to have to listen to those two lovebirds during breakfast, Harry's face mirroring her feelings. Seriously, it was just too much sometimes…

"Wait for me, I'll head down with you guys too," Ginny chipped in, looking at Harry.

Harry smiled with relief and Hermione's brow furrowed harder at the added companion. She loved Ginny, she was like the sister she never had, but when Harry was around her, Hermione felt pretty invisible. Coupled with the fact that Lavender was going to be there too... Good thing she had books in her bag, that would keep her from feeling too lonely; it's not like she could just go sit at the Slytherin table with Draco.

"Come along, the morning mail will be coming soon," Hermione called over her shoulder before heading out through the portrait. As their group went into the Dining Hall, she quickly glanced along the Slytherin table to see if Draco was here yet; she wasn't disappointed. He was sitting in his usual spot; Hermione chose to sit facing them, just in case she got a chance to catch his eye. She was grateful that Harry and Ginny took up the seats next to her, until she realized that meant she'd be facing Ron and Lavender. It was going to be a long breakfast…

Just then a storm of flapping wings came flying into the Hall, Hermione looked up out of habit, she wasn't actually expecting anything. To her surprise though one of the school owls swooped down and landed in front of her, holding his leg out. Hermione quickly detached the parchment and gave the owl some of her bacon as thanks.

"What did you get Hermione?" Harry asked when the owl took off.

"I'm not sure, I wasn't expecting anything," she replied, wondering if it was from Draco. She shyly opened it, trying not to look like she didn't want Harry to read it. Luckily he was too busy piling food on his plate to look directly at her, he expected her to fill him in regardless. Quickly unfolding the note, she saw Draco's familiar handwriting, smile forming on her face.

_Hermione,_  
_Just wanted to remind you that you are beautiful_  
_-DM_

Hermione couldn't help but blush as she looked over at Draco. He gave her a quick smile before turning back to listen to his classmates. Hermione cleared her throat and stuffed the note in her pocket, telling Harry it was a note from McGonagall asking her to stay after Transfiguration class. Now she just needed to will her blush to go away before anyone noticed- surely they'd want to know why a note from McGonagall would have her cheeks so red.

"Hm, wonder what she wants, you aren't in trouble are you?"

"Of course not, I'm sure she just wants to ask me something about one of our assignments," Hermione offered, quickly trying to come up with a reason to stay behind in class today. Maybe she'd ask the professor about the next spell they were going to learn, maybe get a bit of a head start. The rest of breakfast went by uneventfully at the Gryffindor table, Hermione blatantly reading her book and ignoring the lovey-dovey people around her.

At the Slytherin table, Draco was pretending to listen to his classmates while internally scolding himself. Why had he sent her that message? It was totally unlike him to be so… so cute! He didn't regret sending it, he could tell it really made her feel good, he just couldn't understand what possessed him to send the note in the first place. It was an impulse that made him take it up to the Owlery before breakfast, was he going to turn into a sap now? Did she expect him to start acting that way all the time? He started to panic, unsure of what course of action he should take. Thinking about what he knew about the Gryffindor bookworm, he realized she wasn't like the other girls he knew. She didn't primp or preen, she cared about her studies first and foremost. So maybe a few notes here and there would really make her feel girly and important, something he knew her two idiot friends never did. He was sure they were totally ignorant of the fact she was a young woman. He had seen her yell at Weasel and run away with tears in her eyes plenty of times to know that the redhead was pretty stupid when it came to his friend.

He decided he didn't want to be like Weasley, she would know she was appreciated. He was man enough to be okay with sending her notes now and then, being sappy wasn't too hard. Especially when thinking about Hermione made him forget about all the stress in his life. As thoughts of her filled his head, he began to wonder what their trip to Hogsmeade would be like. Would they be serious and nervous? Or maybe carefree, would already knowing how they felt about each other would make it less awkward? Would she be expecting him to say anything sappy? No, he decided, he would just be himself and say what came to mind, that worked for him so far. She said she liked seeing this side of him but she had to appreciate his sharp wit, at least when it isn't being pointed at her. He sighed, still lost in thought when he got up from the table to head to class.

The day passed by quickly enough, classes keeping everyone busy until lunch. Hermione was too preoccupied with homework to have lunch, she was in the library, all of her books spread out in front of her, brow furrowed. Draco knew he'd find her in the library since it was her favorite place; she even had a favorite seat, right along the windows. The sun was shining on her honey brown curls, her quill was scratching furiously on the parchment in front of her. He carefully walked closer, choosing to sit at the table next to her, on the opposite side from her so he could sneak glances at her. They both had a free period after lunch so Draco had no doubt she'd be in here until Arithmacy, he wondered what homework she was working on that had her concentrating so hard. He quietly pulled out his Potions book and parchment and settled in to write his latest essay.

The hour passed in comfortable silence and Draco was the first to notice that it was almost time for class. He packed his bag and looked over at Hermione, seeing that she was absorbed in her work. "Granger, you aren't planning on skipping Arithmacy are you?"

Hermione startled at his voice, looking up and realized he was standing next to her. "Oh my goodness, I got so lost in my work- thank you for reminding me, Draco," Hermione gushed, quickly packing up her things and standing. Draco held out his arm, indicating she should pass. As Hermione walked passed him, Draco fell in step next to her; Hermione looked up at him with a questioning gaze.

Noticing her gaze, Draco smiled down at her, staying by her side. "Are you against me walking you to class?" he questioned.

Hermione blushed and shook her head, amazed he was being so open. They may not be holding hands but they were walking to class together and not bickering; she wondered if he'd make any snide comments if his friends were to spot them. But she didn't have to worry about that, they made it to the class without any incident and took their seats. Hermione had a hard time focusing on what the professor was saying, but she was well ahead already, thank goodness.

Draco and Hermione didn't interact for the rest of the day, but neither of them were concerned, they didn't want to draw too much attention to themselves just yet. Each of them still had their own problems to try and work out as well. By the time classes were over and it was time for dinner, Hermione was starving, having skipped lunch earlier. She started piling food on her plate, pausing when Ginny plopped down next to her.

"Hey Gin, how was your day?"

"Aggravating, I wasn't able to do the Transfiguration lesson today, I just couldn't focus I guess," Ginny told her.

"That happens sometimes, what's on your mind?"

"It's Harry, he's obsessing with Malfoy and swears he's up to something, he's so distracted and I don't know what to do about it," Ginny sighed.

"Yea, Harry has been rather focused on him hasn't he?" Hermione agreed, thoughts straying to when she had found the blond in the bathroom. He was stressed out and worried about something, were Harry's suspicions correct? She'd been trying to talk Harry out of his misgivings all year, now she desperately hoped Harry wasn't on to something. She glanced over at the Slytherin table, noticing how Draco seemed subdued and quiet. He wasn't talking with anyone at the table and was picking at his food, Hermione's heart hurt, wondering what he was stressed out about. When she had brought it up in the bathroom he wasn't ready to tell her just yet, she hoped he figure out whatever it was before it was too late. But right now the focus was on Ginny and Harry, so she turned back to her friend. "See if he wants to go to Hogsmeade this weekend with you, it might do him good to get out of the castle," Hermione offered. That increased the chances that she'd be seen with Draco but... she was still one of Ginny's close friends and she wanted the two of them to finally get together.

Ginny brightened at the idea, "I totally forgot about the trip coming up, I was too focused on classes, you're the best Mione, thanks I'll ask him as soon as he comes in."

A few moments later, Harry came in with Ron and Lavender looking like a third wheel. Lavender had her arm around Ron's waist and was twirling his hair with her other hand. Harry's face broke out in a smile when Ginny waved him over to the table, dropping down next to her.

"Hey Ginny, Hermione, how are my two favorite gals?"

Hermione smiled in response, listening as Ginny went into detail about her day before casually reminding Harry about the upcoming weekend. She saw his eyes brighten at the thought of going with Ginny, Hermione smiled, glad that those two were finally coming together. She had spent a lot of holidays talking with Ginny about Harry and ways to get him to notice her, but the best way was to always be yourself. They had a lot in common so the chances were good that Harry would open his eyes sooner or later. Hermione found herself thinking about Ron, about how they'd been arguing so much recently. They'd always fought- always, so what changed all of a sudden? Hermione looked further down the table, easily finding Ron… intertwined with Lav-Lav like always. Maybe that was it? The big fight had been just after the two of them had made out… Hermione had just felt so… so… furious! And anytime she had to deal with the couple she just felt bitter… It hit her like a rock then- it because she was so lonely. This was the first time any of them had actually entered a serious relationship- her courtship with Viktor didn't really feel official. Ron had been jealous then, and now, after years of her unrequited crush on Draco, seeing her friend in love just hurt so much. All of a sudden a smile snuck up on her, she remembered the note she received this morning from Draco, remembered their stolen moments in the bathroom. Her feelings weren't one-sided at all- Draco actually liked her back! Hell, now that her mind wasn't clouded by forlorn emotions, Hermione could clearly identify her issues! She almost laughed out loud at her petty feelings- she couldn't help it of course, since she'd been so worn down by the knowledge that Draco could never be hers. Draco had proven her wrong though, so very wrong. The witch smiled to herself as she thought about him, his note. When did he decide to be thoughtful? He had no way of knowing how a small gesture could mean so much to her could he? Once more her eyes sought him out, biting her lip nervously. This time he was looking at her, almost as if he'd been studying her. She smiled over at him, unable to contain the happiness she felt at the few memories they've made. Ron could make out with Lavender all he wanted, she had her dream guy!

Draco couldn't concentrate on dinner, he was wondering what he would do about his mission. He had tried unsuccessfully to forget about it, but he knew he couldn't afford to fail- his family was depending on him. He looked up towards the Gryffindor table, hoping to find the girl that made him smile; she was looking down at her plate, absentmindedly eating her food. He'd give anything to figure out what she was thinking, to be next to her and help her solve puzzles; he wanted to walk her to all of her classes, shower her with gifts. That last thought surprised him, he knew he wasn't able to buy her affections, but he wasn't really trying to. He wanted to give her gifts because she deserved them, not because she needed to know he was rich. She was the first girl that gave him that notion, that he could give her a gift and she wouldn't love it only based on how much it might have cost. He couldn't stop the smile forming on his lips, just when things were at their darkest for him, he'd found his light. Just then she chose to look over at him and smile, blushing just slightly. Her smile made his heart flutter, he had always loved to see her smiling, but knowing that she was smiling at him made him even happier. God he couldn't wait until the weekend.


	4. Hogsmeade

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's finally the weekend, how will the date go?

*Saturday Morning*

Hermione woke up early that morning, unsure of what she should wear or what she might do with her hair. She fretted over her clothes for awhile, really unsure what she should wear. It was a date, a real date, but she didn't want to be too dressy or seem overly eager. Over the past few days she had received more notes from Draco, each one short but sweet, making her smile. She put all the notes in her bedside table so they'd always be close at hand, she wondered what today was going to be like. The plan was to just walk around for a bit and maybe hang out at The Three Broomsticks. Hermione gave a frustrated sigh and threw herself down on her bed.

"What's got your knickers in a twist Mione?" a voice asked her.

"Oh Ginny, can you help me? You're my friend right?"

"Last I checked why, what do you need help with?"

"Well, I've kinda got a secret date today, we're going to be meeting in Hogsmeade. I don't know what to wear or what to do with my hair. I really don't want to be too flashy, but I don't want to be too casual either. Help?" Hermione pleaded.

"Oh a date, and it's a secret? Does anyone know about it?" Ginny asked eagerly, starting to look through her friend's clothes, holding up a shirt.

"Well no, I haven't told anyone that I'm even going to Hogsmeade today, so far it's only you. Well, and my date of course. But it's a secret Ginny, please don't tell Harry I'll be there, I want you two to have time together."

"Thanks for that Mione, and I won't tell him. But can I know who it is you are going to see?" Ginny asked, eyebrows raised.

"I've wanted to tell someone, but I don't want you to get mad," Hermione said quietly.

Ginny was quiet for a moment, tossing Hermione a rose colored long sleeved shirt, adorned with a flower over her hip. She also found a pair of tight low-rise jeans that she knew fit Hermione very well and tossed that over to her too.

"There I think those will be nice, pinks look good on you and the jeans are fitting but overall casual. So you won't look too eager but like you are making an effort. I'll not bother you, for now, on who you are meeting, but I do want details when we get back tonight!" Ginny told her, pointing a finger.

"Okay deal, I'm sure I'll be dying to tell someone how it went, and you went through all this trouble to help me. Can you help me with my hair?" Hermione asked hopefully.

Ginny nodded her head, glad to help her friend out, "I'm always willing to help you with your hair, I know you love the curls but you can definitely lose the frizz, I'll be right back, get dressed."

Hermione smirked at her friend's comment. Her frizzy curls were the topic of many conversations between her and the female Weasleys, as well as her mom. She pulled the curtains around her bed and quickly got dressed, appraising Ginny's choices. As she opened the curtains from around her bed and smoothed her blouse over her stomach Ginny came back in, a tube of something in her hand.

"Anti-frizz cream, works wonders."

"Ginny why do you have that, your hair isn't remotely frizzy?" Hermione responded.

"Exactly! My hair might not frizz as much as yours is capable of but it does frizz enough to aggravate me. This will smooth your hair but leave all your curls in place, you'll look wonderful."

"Well I'll give it a shot, I don't want to go out with hair like this." Hermione gave in, sitting on the bed.

Ginny came up behind and started spreading the cream in Hermione's hair, gently working it in with her fingers all the way down to her tips. Then she grabbed Hermione's brush and started running that through her hair to smooth her hair even more.

"OK, all done, let's go look at you in the bathroom, you're going to love it," Ginny promise, leading her friend to a mirror.

Hermione held her breath as she came up to the mirror, unsure of what to expect. Her mind quickly plashed back to the Yule Ball and how much effort it had taken to tame her curls, this seemed way easier. She heard herself gasp as she looked at her reflection; her hair was all smooth curls with no frizz. Carefully raising her hands, she ran her fingers through her hair, amazed at the lack of snags she felt.

"Oh Ginny, this is amazing, all it took was that cream? Why couldn't we have had that for the Yule Ball? And this will be okay out in the weather?"

"Yea, I use it a lot, cold or humid weather is fine, although it's anyone's game if it starts to pour. But the weather is nice out today, don't worry about it. This is how your curls should look, clumping together just right, smooth and shiny. Do you want me to pick some of this stuff up for you?" Ginny asked, holding up the tube of Miss Mari's Miracle Mane Moisturizer.

"Please, that would be wonderful. I might not use it all the time, but definitely for special occasions. How much did you use?"

"A dollop, although you can always add more, so it's best to start with a little at a time until you get used to it, don't want your hair to start looking like Snape's," Ginny sniggered.

Hermione gave Ginny a hug, "Oh you're the best Ginny, thanks for everything. Should I at least change? I don't want to spoil the date and I still have to go eat breakfast.

Ginny nodded her head and told her friend to wear one of her knit caps to help hide her hair for now. As Ginny waited for her friend to reappear, she wondered just who Hermione was going to meet. As Hermione came back downstairs, Ginny assured her she looked about normal and the two girls made their way down to the Dining Hall. Harry was already there, eating toast and reading The Daily Prophet, Hermione was surprised he was awake.

"Awake already Harry, that's a shock," Hermione said as she sat next to him.

"I actually slept pretty good last night and woke up refreshed. First night in a long time so I decided I'd come down and get an early breakfast; then it's off to Hogsmeade, right Ginny?"

Ginny nodded her head enthusiastically as she started eating. Hermione was glad that for once, Harry hadn't thought to include her. Sometimes his (and Ron's) blatant disregard for her girlish feelings paid off, although mostly it just caused strife. Hermione's stomach was fluttering, she purposefully kept her gaze on her friends and her meal. If she were to sneak a glance at the Slytherin table, she'd never stop blushing and Harry was bound to notice that. Once the three of them were through with breakfast, Hermione and Ginny ran upstairs to change before they made their way out onto the front lawn and towards the gates. Hermione had asked if she could accompany them on the way into the village, but that she was only going to pick up a few things so they needn't wait on her. Ginny snuck her friend a smile, knowing full well she was going to be there most of the day. Sadly Harry was still completely oblivious to Hermione's change of outfit.

As the trio came up to Hogsmeade, Hermione excused herself as her friends immediately went to the Spintwitches Quidditch Supply store; she slowly wandered the streets, not wanting to get to the pub too early. It was still a bit before noon when Hermione couldn't wait anymore and made her way over. She could feel the butterflies in her stomach as she came up to the door, trying to casually lean against the wall. Taking a few deep breaths, Hermione tried to prevent herself from touching her hair, not wanting to mess it up.

Draco looked at his watch, it was only 11:30 but he couldn't wait any longer, he headed to the pub to meet with Hermione. As soon as he rounded the corner, he saw Hermione leaning up against the wall, the sight of her took his breath away. He had grown so accustomed to seeing her in her school robes he had no idea how much she had grown up. When had Hermione become so curvy? He really shouldn't have been too surprised, it was just at the beginning of the week that he had pressed her up against Myrtle's bathroom door. But to really see her curves in such a Muggle outfit, he suddenly wanted to kiss her senseless, and her hair looked so soft and tame. He casually made his way over to her, lightly clearing his throat not wanting to startle her. As she looked up and saw that it was him, a bright smile claimed her face.

Hermione took in the sight of Draco, he looked impeccable as always, wearing black slacks and a forest green turtle neck. She noticed that he had been forgoing the gel in his hair lately, she really like the tousled look better on him. Unable to contain herself, she ran up to Draco and wrapped her arms around him, catching him by surprise.

"Hello Hermione, early as usually I see," Draco teased and he wrapped his arms around her. He couldn't recall the last time he was welcomed so warmly. Sure Pansy was always trying to cling to him but never like this; it wasn't as genuine, more proof that Pansy was just after his name.

"I came with Harry and Ginny and I just couldn't wait any longer, but you're early too!" Hermione reminded him.

Draco chuckled in agreement, it would seem as though both of them had been waiting for today for a long time. He pulled away from the hug, looking into her eyes and running his fingers through her curls, "You look absolutely stunning Hermione," Draco whispered.

Hermione blushed, "It's only a top and some jeans, you really think so?"

"I do, I'm sure you'd look absolutely stunning in anything you'd choose to wear, but when I first saw you here, leaning up against the wall, you took my breath away. It's refreshing to see you in something other than your school robes," Draco assured her. He took her hand and led her away from the pub, "Come on, let's get to know each other."

Hermione felt like her cheeks were going to break if she smiled any bigger but she couldn't stop. She let him pulled her along, hand in hand as they wandered the shops. Neither of them had a destination in mind, casual conversation filling the air.

"So, was it hard for you to focus on schoolwork? I was totally distracted, I couldn't wait for today," Hermione admitted.

"Yea, I was pretty distracted myself, it was a nice change to the stress I've been feeling though. I still kinda feel like this is a dream or something, as sappy as that sounds," Draco answered, blushing slightly at his admission.

"I've felt the same all week. I kept reading the notes you sent me to make sure I hadn't imagined it. Thank you for that, it really meant a lot to me," Hermione whispered.

"I'll admit, it surprised me that I wrote the first one, but I really want you to feel appreciated, and I don't regret sending it to you. I've just never done anything like that before, you really bring out a different side in me."

"Is that a bad thing?" Hermione wondered.

"I don't think it is, do you? Ever since that first meeting we had, I've really wanted to change myself," Draco started, pulling her down to sit on a bench. "Since I was a kid, I could recite my lineage back 6 generations on both my mother's and father's side and I had to know the names of all the other Pureblood families. It was ingrained in me that Pureblood lineage was what mattered, not looks, not love, only family lineage. I heard a lot of derogatory terms from my parents growing up, and of course all of their friends, it was normal for me."

"So, what changed?"

"I met the Dark Lord," Draco admitted, looking down at his hands.

"When? What happened?"

"It wasn't until fifth year, during the Christmas holidays," Draco started to explain in a quiet voice. "It was a brief meeting really, he came to the Manor to speak to my father. I had heard that he had come back at the end of our 4th year, and I tried to play it off. But I knew; my father spoke about it with my mother and I, about how the coming years were going to be very important. But I wasn't prepared to meet him, the way he spoke, looked at me, like I was nothing. Father introduced me, saying I was his heir, second in my class. Just that short meeting made me realize what kind of person he was. I sat outside the door listening to them talk. I know now just what it was he wanted my father to do, but then I was confused. All that I knew was how he treated my father, the man I looked up to, like he was a speck of dirt. My father, a Pureblood, being treated as a pawn; I couldn't stand it, my father was stronger than that. But he just took it, being ordered around, by someone who was killed by a baby nonetheless. Well I guess he wasn't truly killed because he came back but everyone thought he was dead for years."

"That must have been awful Draco," she sympathized.

"It was hard, especially since afterward my father went to Azkaban for doing his bidding. Completely ridiculous, my mother has been beside herself. That was when I started to realize that blood purity didn't stop you from going to Azkaban, money can only do so much for you. But really, when you go against the rules, there will be consequences, and killing people, th-that's the darkest thing you can do," he stammered.

"Come on, let's go to Honeydukes you like candy right? Let's brighten this date," Hermione urged him, pulling him up from the bench.

"Sounds like a good idea, who would turn away Honeydukes?" Draco agreed, putting his arm over her shoulder and pulling her closer. He couldn't believe he had told her about his experience meeting the Dark Lord, she knew about his family's ties, but would this scare her away?

The pair made their way into Honeydukes, glad that the store was busy as usual, hopefully they'd be able to blend in better. Draco followed Hermione as she browsed, curious at what she liked from here. He noticed she picked up some Toothflossing Stringmints and he vaguely remembered something about her parents being some sort of Muggle teeth healers. She also picked up some Sugar Quills and Chocolate Frogs, turning towards Draco with a raised brow.

"Are you just going to see what I pick out?" she teased.

"Oh I'm just learning more about you, the kind of sweets you like says a lot about you I think."

"Oh, then I'm eager to see what you might buy here," Hermione giggled, waiting.

Draco smirked and took the lead around the store. He usually got fudge from his mother on the holidays but the treacle fudge here was delicious so he picked some up, along with Shoc-o-Chocs, Ice Mice, and Glacial Snowflakes. Hermione raised her eyes at the Shoc-o-Choc wondering if that was really for him.

"I got a taste for them after we of the Inquisitorial Squad received them with the Howlers, not that you would know anything about that right?"

"Oh God, that group, total teacher's pets! Spoiling everyone's fun, getting everyone in trouble, you were unbearable last year," Hermione chuckled.

Despite the truth in her statement, Draco could see that she was relaxed and joking, so he smiled as well, glad that she could make light of those times.

"I'll let you try some of my Shoc-O-Chocs if you let me have some of your Frogs? Fair trade?"

"I don't know, I've never had those, and what if I don't like them, seems like a gamble to me," she responded, heading up to the front to pay.

"Ok, if you don't like them, I'll share my fudge with you," Draco amended. He had thought about paying for her, but he could tell by the way she purposefully pulled out her coin purse, she wasn't going to let him offer. After he paid for his goodies, they made their way back outside and put their goodies in their pockets.

"Where to next, we still have a few hours here, was there anything you wanted to see?" Hermione asked.

"Well I won't drag you to the Quidditch shop, I stopped by there earlier since I know you don't fly, so why not go to Tomes and Scrolls?"

"Really, you'd go with me to Tomes and Scrolls? I can spend forever in there you know, are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure, I like to read too, although nowhere near as much as you I'm sure. Maybe you'll let me buy you something?" Draco offered sincerely.

Hermione blushed and nodded shyly before pulling him towards the bookstore. Draco laughed at her enthusiasm and followed her into the store. They browsed the store for a while, each picking out a few books they'd enjoy, Draco taking one of the books from her pile to pay for. He wrapped his arm around her again as they shrunk their new purchases to fit in their pockets, lightly kissing her forehead.

"You ready to head to The Three Broomsticks? I'm about ready for a Butterbeer, how about you?" Draco proposed.

Hermione nodded enthusiastically leaning into his side, attracted to his warmth. She hadn't been this happy all year, especially not since Ron and Lavender started dated. The pub was as crowded as usual and Hermione motioned that she'd go find a spot for them and Draco went to buy some drinks. She found a small table near the middle of the pub, waving to a few fellow Gryffindors and even some Ravenclaws. It was warm inside and Hermione was glad she hadn't brought a coat, she disliked leaving her coat over chairs; she always felt like she was going to leave them behind.

"Here you go Miss Granger, a Butterbeer for you," Draco smiled as he placed her drink in front of her and sat next to her, casually draping his arm over her chair. Hermione smiled at him, glad that he wasn't shy about being seen with her; it was only their first date and neither of them knew what their classmates would say. The first few minutes went by quietly, the two of them sharing small talk before they noticed a few people staring. Draco was doing his best to keep her engaged so she would feel self conscious about it but the mood was shattered quite suddenly.

"MALFOY, WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?"


	5. Secrets

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Draco have a deep conversation, what will Hermione think of what Draco confesses???

Hermione's head turned sharply to see Ron stomping over to their table; she grumbled knowing this was going to get ugly. She felt Draco squeeze her shoulder in reassurance, his face a mask of cool indifference as he looked over at the redhead.

"Well Weasley, good afternoon," he started off, attempting to keep things amicable.

"Get your hands off of her, NOW!"

"Would you like to join us in some civilized conversation? As it is you are being quite loud and disturbing the other patrons."

"No I would not like to sit with you, and neither would Hermione, so get your filthy hands off of her and we'll be on our way," Ron growled.

Draco turned towards Hermione, letting her decide how to continue, Weasley was her friend after all. She squeezed his knee in thanks, understanding that he was really attempting to be civil.

"Ron, you are making quite the scene, would you please lower your voice! I'm not being held here against my will and in fact it is YOU who needs to be leaving," Hermione told him fiercely.

Ron looked flabbergasted for a moment before his face began to turn a dangerous shade of red, "Hermione, you cannot stay here with, with Malfoy, this is insane! I won't stand for it!"

"Well then you can sit because I'm not going anywhere. Draco treated me to a drink and we were having quite a nice time before you rudely interrupted us. So please leave us alone. Hello Lavender, how are you?" Hermione asked over Ron's shoulder, hoping to defuse the situation with her help. Lavender just looked from Ron to Hermione to Draco and back again, unsure what to think of the whole thing. After a moment she tried pulling on Ron's arm to persuade him to leave but Ron just yanked his arm out of her hands.

"Hermione, you're coming back to the castle with me and Lavender right now and we're going to tell Harry that Malfoy here bewitched you or something and we'll fix you up. Alright, now come on."

RONALD WEASLEY! I am a grown witch! I can be wherever I want with whomever I want and it will be none of your concern! Have you not even read any of our course books from our Defense classes? Don't you remember how to look for signs of bewitchment? Of course you don't! Since you refuse to leave, then we will. Have a nice day and don't you dare follow us Ronald or so help me I'll hex you into next week." Hermione scolded him, nearly yelling. Standing up, she grabbed Draco's hand and pulled him towards the front door. Draco offered a small wave to Madam Rosmerta as an apology as they walked by the bar. He threw his arm around Hermione as they stormed away from the bar, trying to slow her down.

"Come on it's okay. It's just Weasley, he really seems to know how to piss you off. Come on Princess, don't let him ruin your day," he coaxed, kissing her forehead. "Let's head back to Hogwarts, we can walk around the Quidditch pitch, no one will look for you there right?"

"Yea, you're probably right, although I'm sure the news will be throughout the entire school by dinner, sorry," Hermione said tearfully.

"Hey, hey hey, no crying, remember what I told you. You have to smile, it's much more becoming. Please don't cry," Draco soothed, pulling her into a hug and rubbing her back. "And besides rumors are always going to be spreading at school, what do you want to do about it, I'm prepared for the stares and questions if you are. If not, we can come up with something, I don't mind if we keep things quiet, whatever you want to do Princess."

"Oh I'm sorry, I'm crying over something so stupid, here you are with bigger problems and you're trying to cheer me up over Ron," Hermione whimpered.

"Well Ron is a git, it's no surprise he's upset you. You've only known him for how many years?"

"Six," she mumbled.

"And how many years has she said something to upset you?"

"Six," she confirmed.

"See, he's a git. So don't feel bad, come on," Draco assured her, kissing the top of her head.

"Yea, I don't want him to ruin today, it's been really good so far."

"That's the spirit"

Hermione sniffled and pulled away from Draco to wipe her eyes; she smiled up at him and held out her hand, waiting for him to take it. He smiled down at her and grabbed her hand, the pair making their way back toward the castle. Unbeknownst to them, there was someone watching the exchange that just happened.

They walked in comfortable silence all the way to the Quidditch pitch, Hermione leaning into Draco's shoulder for support. Dinner was in a few hours so they had some stuff to talk about but neither of them was sure how to start the conversation. Hermione gave a sigh and decided to start.

"Thanks for a really nice day, I really appreciate you going with me to the bookstore, and not making a scene with Ron, even though he wasn't making it easy."

"I had a great time today too, it's really easy to talk with you, it's nice to have someone to talk to about things," Draco told her, leading her into the stands. As they sat he pulled out his bag of Shoc-o-Chocs and offered her one. Hermione reached gingerly into the bag and pulled out a candy.

"I'm sorry for overreacting, I've been upset over Ron's actions for a long time now and I-Ow," Hermione squeaked as her hands shot up to her mouth. Draco couldn't help but laugh at the surprised look on her face.

"Good huh?" he chuckled, popping one of the candies into his mouth.

"That surprised me, I know it's called a Shoc-o-Choc but it's still a bit surprising when you feel the shock. Although I think I can get used to it," she told him with a smile. He put his arm around her waist and got comfortable, waiting for her to continue the conversation. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her Honeydukes bag and enlarged it, pulling out a chocolate frog and handing it to Draco.

"A deal is a deal, here's your froggie."

Draco thanked her and opened the package, popping the Frog in his mouth, smiling.

Hermione sighed, "I can't believe I've let Ron get to me after all these years, I mean, after what happened at the Yule Ball, you'd think I'd realize that Ron is just a dunderhead when it comes to girls. It's just hard because I think all of Ron's family believes we'll eventually get together and get married and have children, and I just can't see it. I mean, we do nothing but argue all the time. We're more like brother and sister with the way we argue.

"Although I guess part of the reason we argue is because I've been waiting for him to see me as a girl and he just refuses to. I suppose I'm just sensitive when it comes to him, I love him and Harry like brothers, but it's only Ron that upsets me all the time."

"I'll admit Hermione, I never understood why you became friends with Weasley in the first place, he's quite your opposite, lazy, not exactly smart or studious, a loud mouth, and he has a horrible temper. Personally I'd be quite happy if you don't end up with him, and that has nothing to do with my own personal interests," he whispered in her ear with a smile.

"I'm sure it doesn't Draco," she replied, nudging him. "But I still don't think it's very fair of me to go spouting off about Ron when we're on our date, it's just been on my mind a lot."

"Well remember, I told you I'm here for you now right? That's all inclusive, whether it's for talking, or kissing, or just to hang out. I've observed you three for awhile, I know your relationship is complicated so of course you have mixed feelings about it all. Although this really doesn't change my opinion of him, I think he's a hopeless idiot. Mostly because he let you slip through his fingers, and I don't want to let you go any time soon Hermione. That's why I'm going to continue to write you little notes and buy you sweet gifts and tell you how beautiful you are. I've had enough darkness in my life, so I cherish the few things that can make me happy."

"Draco, you make me feel so special, you've treated me better than any other guy that's taken me on a date, which admittedly hasn't been a lot. I was so nervous at first but that went away really fast. I just feel like I connect with you so easily, I mean even when we were nasty to each other, I knew I could depend on you to say something interestingly snide. It was never boring, that's for sure," Hermione confided.

"What I said earlier, about the Dark Lord, does that scare you?"

"It scares me for you, but I'm not scared of you. I'm worried about what that means for you, for your family. Especially now that your dad is in jail, it's just you and your mom right now. I can't imagine what it's like for you in your house."

"So you aren't afraid to be seen with me suddenly because of it, because I kinda have a bigger secret," Draco broke down.

Hermione put her arms around him, wondering what had him so upset, "Calm down, it will be okay."

"Now it won't, you don't understand what it's like. I'm head of the family now, I'm the one with the responsibilities according to him. I'm 16, I may have been raised to take over my family name, but not this early," Draco sobbed, letting go of his emotions, dropping his head into her lap. "He's given me a mission, one that I have to do. If I don't he'll kill me, I don't want to die."

"What does he want you to do?" she asked him quietly, running her hands through his hair.

"Kill Dumbledore," Draco whispered into her lap.

Hermione gasped, Voldemort couldn't possibly expect a 16 year old boy to kill Dumbledore, that was insane.

"He can't really expect you to succeed can he? I mean, it's Dumbledore, your headmaster, one of the greatest wizards alive. You're only 16, he can't really expect you to kill someone can he?"

"My mom thinks he is expecting me to fail, so he can kill me and show everyone how the Malfoys fell from grace. But I can't fail Hermione, I don't want my mom to be left all alone."

"Draco, we have to go to the Headmaster, he'll tell you what to do," she assured him.

"I can't tell him that I'm supposed to kill him, he'll kick me out of the school," Draco cried out, sitting up to look her in the eyes.

Hermione put her hands on his cheeks, "Draco, he is a very understanding wizard, he knows so much about the war and Voldemort. He'll understand your predicament. Please, for me. I'll go with you, you don't have to do it alone anymore. You said you want to change, that you don't believe in what Voldemort says, here is your chance. Please take it," Hermione pleaded with him, standing up and taking his hand in hers.

Draco looked up at her, tears running down her face, just like him. It took him back to the first time they met in the bathroom. He remember how his heart tore seeing her cry, remembered how he felt like he was losing his mind trying to come up with a way to kill the old wizard. Hermione was right, he couldn't pass up this chance, he had to stand up for what he believed in, stand up for what was right. He stood up, squeezing her hand, pulling her towards the castle before he could lose his nerve. The two of them ran into the Great Hall, looking for a teacher, hoping to catch someone before dinner.

"Quick McGonagall is almost always in her classroom, this way," Hermione called as she pulled him down the hall.

They turned the corner and almost ran right into the person they were looking for.

"Miss Granger, Mr. Malfoy, why are you running in the castle?"

"Please Professor, is the Headmaster available, we have to see him right now! Please."

McGonagall was about to tell them to wait until after dinner but she noticed how desperate they both looked, their hands clasped together.

"Alright you two, follow me, and no running," McGonagall reminded them, turning on her heel and leading them to the gargoyle statue.

"Fizzing Whizzbees."

As the gargoyle sprang to life and revealed the staircase, McGonagall ushered them in before turning and heading back the way they came. As the pair came closer to the top of the staircase, they squeezed each others' hands, trying to comfort each other. Hermione knocked on the door, waiting to be admitted.

"Please come in," a voice called out.


	6. The Plan Unfolds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Draco discuss everything with Dumbledore

With one last look in Draco's eyes, Hermione pushed the door open and they stepped over the threshold. Dumbledore was seated at his desk, looking at the two with a bemused look in his eyes.

"How can I help you two?" he asked with a quick glance towards their clasps hands.

Draco was relieved when she didn't let go, instead she took a few steps closer to Dumbledore, "Draco is in trouble, you have to help him, please."

"What trouble are you in Mr. Malfoy?"

"The Dark Lord gave me a mission this year, in place of my father who is in Azkaban right now."

"I see, please continue," the headmaster prompted.

"He, he wants me to k-kill you sir," Draco whispered once again. "I'm the one responsible for hurting Katie and Ron, I didn't know what else to do."

Hermione looked over at him, surprised at the admission, Harry had been right? She bit her lip, wondering what had been going on in Draco's head when he tried those things.

"I really didn't mean to hurt anyone, I didn't know what else to do, I was trying to get the two Vanishing Cabinets to work again, so I can get Death Eaters into the school and then I'm supposed to kill you. But I couldn't get the Cabinets to work, the birds I was sending through kept dying. So I tried to get a student to give you the cursed necklace, but no one was supposed to touch it, I don't know how that happened. And, I-I gave Professor Slughorn the poisoned mead, but he obviously didn't give it to you like I thought he would have. So instead I nearly killed Hermione's friend, somehow Harry managed to save him. It's all falling apart; I don't know what to do. Please help me," Draco asked tearfully, at his wit's end.

"Draco, I'm glad you decided to come to me with this, although I regret to inform you that you must continue with your plan to kill me, that is the way it has to be."

"WHAT? Professor, you can't mean that, you can't expect Draco to kill you," Hermione cried out in disbelief.

"I'm sorry Hermione, but the plans have already been laid for this. If I'm to let you both in on it, I will need to perform a Fidelius Charm, no one can know about what has already been put into plan. Can you both keep this a secret, from everyone else, even those whom you love?"

Hermione and Draco looked at each other confused, why was he being so calm about this? He already had a plan? Why was it a secret?

"Professor, if we promise to keep it a secret, what will happen?"

"I'll tell you about the plan and you will have to follow it, there is no room for deviations, is that clear?"

"Yes Professor," they both mumbled, still confused.

"So, do you promise?" Dumbledore asked them.

"Yes."

Dumbledore nodded his head and stood up, pulling his wand out of his robes. As he walked over to the pair of them, he said the incantation, waving his wand over them, preparing them for the secrets about to be sealed within them.

"Please sit down, what I'm about to tell you maybe take awhile."

With a deep sigh the pair went to the chairs in front of Dumbledore's desk, looking up at him to start. As Dumbledore explained to them that he already knew about Draco's fated task, and knew that Draco was supposed to fail, but he had a way from him to succeed. He told them both that Snape had been his spy for many years and that he had informed him early on of what was to come. Once Snape had entered the Unbreakable Vow with Draco's mother, Snape had to ensure Draco succeeded. Dumbledore knew that Voldemort needed him dead in order to inspire his new uprising. Draco needed Dumbledore dead in order to stay alive, and Snape had to make sure that he succeeded. His plan was to have Draco finish fixing the two cabinets, let the Death Eaters into the castle, and corner Dumbledore. They were to witness Draco take his wand and stall for time, in order for Snape to come in and perform the curse.

"But Professor, why do you have to die?" Draco asked. "You can stand up to the Dark Lord."

"I'm going to be dying anyways," he explained, holding up his blackened hand. "It is inevitable. So this way, with Snape being the one to kill me, young Draco here doesn't have to become a murderer, and I am dying on my own terms, not because Voldemort wished me dead. Please, it has already been decided, there are larger plans at work here and this has to happen."

"What about protecting him and his mother?"

"Once word of my death has spread, Snape will find a way to deliver your mother to a safe house, under some pretense, we will have to decide on that later. Draco will then go looking for his mother, trying to bring her back to the Manor and young Draco will be 'captured' by members of the Order and subdued. I can't ask that you become a spy for the Order, you are far too young and vulnerable. But you and your mother will be protected and any information you could give us that you know would be very useful. Hermione, later I will call you up here, I'll give you something that you can use to prove Draco's decision to defect against the Dark Lord. Do you understand the plan so far?"

"I-I think so," Hermione said.

"I'm pretty sure I do, although, how do you know that Professor Snape is on your side?"

"Snape has sworn his allegiance to me and I do not question his intentions."

Hermione and Draco both nodded, it wasn't like Dumbledore to be wrong.

"Okay good. Both of you will be updated as the time gets closer, but please do your best to not dwell on the choices made. Now, on to other business, what exactly are you going to tell your classmates about this new development," Dumbledore wondered, mentioning towards they unified hands. "I don't think it would be a good idea to flaunt an open relationship with a Muggle-born just yet young Draco, so we must come up with something."

"I've been thinking about that actually. I knew Harry and Ron wouldn't really approve of our date today, since the whole school probably already knows about it. I was thinking that maybe one of us lost a bet, but now that I know more about what's been going on with Draco, I was thinking maybe that he could be trying to me to help him with repairing the cabinets. Probably manipulating me to teach him how to cast a very powerful Protean charm. I can act like I know nothing about it, and he can tell his classmates and the Death Eaters that he's using me to make sure he's successful. Voldemort might not approve of Muggleborns but he can't deny that I'm a strong witch and if Draco proves that he can woo me into blindly helping him, it might put him more in Voldemort's favor?"

"Hermione, I can't put you in that situation, what if someone tried to hurt you?"

"They won't hurt me as long as they think I'm helping you do the Dark Lord's bidding. And the night in question I'll more than likely be in my dorm safe and sound. What happens after that, it's best not to dwell on since no one can really know anyways."

"Are you sure about this then?" Draco asked.

"Yes, I want you to be protected, and if that means keeping our real relationship a secret I am fine with that. I will have some explaining to do later but it will all be worth it and my friends should come around eventually. Will you do it?"

"Yea, I guess so," Draco assured her shakily.

"And I can probably help come up with a reason that can get Mrs. Malfoy out of the manor. Will your mom be willing to leave?"

"If it means I'm safe and away from the Dark Lord, she'll go. She loves me more than anything, she'll do whatever it takes to keep me safe."

"And what about your father?"

"He's too far gone I'm afraid, I don't think he can go against the Dark Lord, he's too afraid. He might for Mother but he also might try to talk her out of it, I can't really be sure."

"Well for now he's safe in Azkaban, even if it isn't an ideal place to be," Hermione offered.

"Now you two need to head down to the kitchens and have dinner, I'll message you in a few days to further discuss the plans with you. And remember, it is important you keep this to yourselves, get some rest."

Hermione and Draco stood and bid the professor good night, leaving his office in a confused state. They slowly made their way towards the kitchen, neither of them speaking, lost in thought. As they entered the kitchen Dobby ushered them over to a small table, plates already prepared with food. They sat down, still holding hands and picked at their food. Frustrated with the plan, Hermione whipped out her wand and cast a Silencing Charm around them, turning to face Draco.

"Do you really think this plan is going to work? I mean, I'm sure between the two of use, we can fix the cabinets but if Snape is the one to kill the headmaster, will it still count as a success for you?"

"I'm not sure, I think overall it will, since some of the highest ranked Death Eaters will be there to see me corner him and take his wand and Snape will interfere. I'm sure the way they have it planned will turn out okay, considering he really has to die," Draco concluded, face pale.

"This is all so serious, we're only teenagers, how can anyone expect us to know what to do?"

"Is this how Harry felt?"

"Yea, he has it really rough, he's been a target for Voldemort since first year. I don't know how he's stayed sane with everything going on around him," Hermione admitted.

Draco squeezed Hermione's hand, "That's because he's had great friends standing by his side."

They smiled at each other, finishing up their meal and heading out of the kitchens. Draco walked Hermione up to the Gryffindor tower, giving her a goodnight kiss and a lingering hug.

"All in all I'd say today was quite eventful, but really good. I got to go out on a date with a brilliant witch, made Weasley turn a lovely shade of red, and even might have come into the Light. That makes for a good day right?"

"Well if you forgive all the tears and stress that also came with the day, I'll agree, today was quite spectacular," Hermione agreed, holding onto Draco, resting her head on his chest.

"We've definitely had a busy day, so let's get some rest and then we'll deal with everything tomorrow. I'm sure it's bound to be eventful to say the least. And I apologize in advance for any nasty things that may be said to you. Slytherins can be nasty, especially if they are under the impression that I'm taking advantage of you. They are going to try and make you feel insignificant and unworthy, play on any insecurities you have and make sure you know that you mean nothing to me."

"But I'll know it's not true, and I can take anything they throw at me. Some of it may be harsh, and I'm sure I'll have to act at least a little upset, I mean, as far as they know we're not really that close yet right? But, if they think you are trying to use me, why would they tell me that? I mean, wouldn't that hinder your plans at gaining my trust?" she questioned.

"Yea it would but Slytherins are Slytherins, they have prejudices and are jealous of your talents. All they care about is your pain, and really they won't know my real plan, just that I'm using you for something. So of course they'll be nasty," Draco explained.

"That's nothing new to me, so I'm sure I can handle it, plus my friends," she paused, unsure if her friends would actually stand by her this time.

"Oh come on, they've stood by you all these years, do you really think they'd abandon you and leave you to the snakes?" he ask, brow raised.

"I'm not sure, you saw how Ron reacted today, and Harry, well, he's been very suspicious of you all year you know," she revealed.

"Oh, yea, I'm sure that has everything to do with me trying to trap him on the train at the beginning of the year," Draco admitted looking away.

"Do you really blame him for getting your father sent to Azkaban?"

"No, it's my father's fault, he was the one following orders and getting caught. I was just frustrated and trying to act sure of myself."

"Wait, Harry said that he was positive that you had received the Dark Mark, and that you had shown it to your friends, is that true," she squeaked out, afraid he'd say yes.

"No, I was bluffing, I wanted them to have faith in me, but I won't receive a Mark unless I complete my mission," he assured her, showing both his wrists.

Hermione collapsed against him, relief flooding her body; she didn't realize she had tensed up when she asked him the question, not wanting to believe he might have the Mark.

"Just don't let on that you know that, I'm wearing long sleeve shirts so no one realizes I don't have it, not that I truly want it. I'm not sure if harry should know or not. We'll have to ask Dumbledore about that next time we meet with him. But I need to head back to the dungeons, try to get some sleep alright, tomorrow is going to be a big day.


	7. A Real Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ginny and Hermione talk about the eventful day, Ginny proves to be a very great friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 2-24-16: Didn't change too much in the last chapters, gasp =D

Hermione waited until he was headed back down the stairs before telling the Fat Lady the password. As she opened the portrait, she held her breath, waiting for the onslaught she was sure would come. But it never did, when she stepped into the common room, it was empty- almost. Ginny was sitting in one of the armchairs facing the portrait, waiting for Hermione to come in.

"So, tell me, you promised!" Ginny exclaimed.

Hermione's eyes widened, "What? I mean, don't you already know? Where are Ron and Harry?"

"I made them go to bed, I can be very intimidating when I want to be. I told them that tonight wasn't a good night for an argument and that I was not going to let them bombard you. You went on a date, and you promised you'd tell me about it, so it's time for girl talk, spill," Ginny explained.

Hermione collapsed onto the armchair next to her friend, "Oh Ginny, thank you- that means a lot to me. I really don't think I could've handled them. So you do know my date was with Draco right?"

"Oh, he's Draco now, already on a first name basis?" Ginny teased, smiling.

Hermione cast a Silencing Charm around them, surprisingly eager to share details about her date with Ginny, "It would have been very awkward to go on the date and call each other by our last names wouldn't it?"

"Oh, so he actually called you Hermione? Really? I didn't think he even knew your first name," Ginny giggled. This was all a very surprising turn of events, but Hermione just looked so happy; Gin couldn't help but be happy as well.

"Okay well, first we met up at The Three Broomsticks, he looked so dreamy in that dark green turtle neck, he's so lithe and slim. He told me I looked stunning and I took his breath away- thanks for helping me choose my outfit!" Hermione gushed.

"Stunning? Who knew he could be so charming?" Ginny mused.

"I know," Hermione blushed. "Well we just walked around at first and talked with each other to get to know one another. Then we went to Honeydukes and bought some candy, Draco actually likes Shoc-o-Chocs, I had no idea. Oh and, guess what- he took me to Tomes and Scrolls, like actually went in and shopped with me. He knew that I wasn't really fond of Quidditch personally so he had gone there before we met up and he had no problem with how long we were in the bookstore."

"That's sounds like an ideal date for you, not getting dragged into the Quidditch shop _and_ getting to go in the bookstore," Ginny stated, nudging her friend. "Keep going!"

"Well we were in the bookstore for awhile, and he even bought one of my books for me, along with a few for himself. Then we decided to head back to The Three Broomsticks for some drinks. We had a good time until your brother stormed in. He bought me a drink and he kept his attention on me the whole time, not Quidditch or even House rivalries. He asked me interesting questions and really listened to my answers."

"Yea, I heard about that, I'm sorry, Ron can really be a git sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Hermione asked incredulously, eyebrow raised.

"Okay, okay, a lot of the time," Ginny conceded with a smile. "I heard about the incident in the pub… my brother is so… temperamental!"

"If you heard about what happened, how come you aren't mad at me like Harry and Ron?" the older witch asked.

"First off, I'm way more levelheaded than them; I care about my friends and their happiness. I noticed the change in your attitude this past week, you haven't looked as gloomy- do you know how many times I caught you staring off into space and smiling? I had no idea why but then when you told me you had a date this morning, I was so excited for you. I'll admit, when I saw you with Malfoy, I was beyond surprised. Before Ron rudely interrupted, I did see how relaxed you looked and how interested he seemed. He didn't appear aloof or snobby like he is at school, so I knew it was him that had made you so happy. I couldn't fault him for that. I mean, whatever he did to earn your forgiveness, or at least enough favor for a date, he must have meant it. If you are able to get over what he's done to you, and you really are happy, I'm happy. What really won me over was what happened after the incident. I followed you outside to talk to you while Harry was trying to calm Ron down. I heard what he said to you, it really sounded like he cared; I decided not to interrupt because I felt you were in good hands."

"Oh Ginny, you really are the best!" Hermione exclaimed as she hugged her friend tight. "It makes me so happy to hear you say that, now if only Ron and Harry would come around."

"Well you know, they aren't really mad at you, you are their friend. They're worried of course, but it's Mal-Draco that they are mad at really, they don't trust _him_. And I'm just going to throw this out there, if he insults me or my family, I'm insulting him back. If he's civil I can be civil, although I may let him get away with a jabs at Ron," Ginny snickered.

"He really wants to make a good impression- he wants things to be better between us. Although I'll admit he may still make a few snarky remarks, that's just kind of the way he is, but I doubt they'll hold the same malice."

"Well I'm so glad to hear that the date went well, ignoring the Ron part. So what took you so long to come back to the common room huh?" Ginny smiled suggestively.

"Ginny! We just went to the Quidditch pitch to get away from prying eyes. We shared our sweets and talked… I think we really connected," Hermione carefully admitted, hoping her friend wouldn't ask what they talked about. "Okay so enough about my date, how did your day go with Harry, can it be called a date?"

Ginny blushed, "Well I'm not sure about it being called a date but, the day went well. We got some stuff from the Quidditch store, we actually didn't stop by Honeydukes but that's alright. I did stop by the hairdressing salon and got lucky. Here," Ginny reached into her pocket and pulled out Hermione's new hair cream. "They had some in supply."

"Oh thanks, I really appreciate it. What else did you do before The Three Broomsticks?"

"Well we went into Gladrags Wizardwear and looked around, although we didn't buy anything. We must have spent a lot of time in the Quidditch store because we only got there a little before Ron exploded. I noticed you guys right away but Harry didn't. When we sat down, I sat so I faced you guys and Harry wouldn't see you. But when Ron was looking for us he spotted you and then Draco. So of course he exploded, and I'm pretty sure you know the rest of what happened."

"Yea, I think I can remember that, something about Ron being a git," Hermione laughed, feigning a forgetful face. "What about afterwards, I can't imagine the trip back to school was fun, was it really loud, or silent?"

"Well, Harry had managed to calm Ron down by the time I came back into the pub, we all had some Butterbeers and talked about what we were going to do over summer break. The conversation may have been a little forced, with Harry and Ron more worried about you… We maybe stayed for another half hour before we came back, hung out in the Common Room 'til dinner. Harry was a bit concerned when you didn't show but then Ron started throwing another fit about how you were surely dead in the Forbidden Forest already and that he'd kill Malfoy and blah blah blah. Harry then turned to me and said, 'Never mind, I'm sure she's not here because she wants to avoid this, can't blame her. We'll have to have some choice words with her eventually.' I scolded him, saying that you were a responsible witch, the most responsible out of any of us for sure. He just shrugged his shoulders and dropped it, I'm kinda surprised honestly."

Hermione thought for a few moments, absorbing her friend's words, "That really doesn't sound like Harry at all, I mean, he's been obsessing over Draco for awhile now. He's been totally convinced that he's a Death Eater and is up to no good, he really didn't throw a fit too?"

"Weird right? He's thinking something, I just don't know what. But I guess we'll find out sooner or later… but not tonight, that's for sure. I didn't want them spoiling your date anymore than they had already- they would be gentlemanly enough to wait until tomorrow," Ginny assured her with a wicked grin.

Hermione laughed again and hugged her friend, thanking her once more and saying goodnight. She could only imagine the threats that Ginny used to get the boys to head up to bed; the fiery redhead was known for her jinxes. Quickly undressing and climbing into her bed, she lay back and relived the day, falling asleep easily, with a grin on her face.

Draco's return to the dungeons wasn't nearly as eventful, not many Slytherins had gone to Hogsmeade and none of the other Houses were too keen on speaking with them about the supposed date involving Draco. He managed to head to bed after making a short appearance in the Common Room to speak with his classmates. He climbed into bed smiling, knowing today had been everything he had hoped, now he just had to prepare for tomorrow, there were going to be a _lot_ of accusations coming his way.


	8. Breakfast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco surprises Hermione by having breakfast with her; Draco and Ginny officially meet now that they are dating. How will it go?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 2-25-16: So, I can't get over how short these chapters are! XD I thought about rearranging them but... I realized that would totally mess up the reviews/comments that everyone wrote soooo we're sticking with the shorter chapters that I cut off with cliffhangers XD I have no idea why I went with that! I'm sorry! lmao I don't like writing like that anymore so the newer chapters probably won't end on cliffhangers, just fyi hahaha
> 
> ***Also I changed Ginny's nickname for Draco; Seth (or as someone else told me, it was actually supposed to be Set?) seemed too... normal. The name may have been from an Ancient Egyptian god but it still sounded too much like a regular name to count as a nickname. It's Loki now XD That's about the only major change I've made so far though (and you can argue that it really isn't that major of a change anyways lol)

*Dungeons*

"Yo, Draco, please tell me I didn't see what I thought I saw earlier at breakfast?" Blaise started as soon as Draco cleared the entrance to the common room.

"Drackie, tell us someone was playing some mean prank on us," Pansy pleaded, wrapping her arms around him.

Draco managed to pull himself out of her grasp and sat on one of the couches, waiting for the questions to stop. His friends recognized his posture and quieted down, wanting answers.

"I'm going to assume you are all talking about the fact that I saw with Granger at breakfast?" Draco inquired, everyone nodding.

"It's quite simple, as much as any Pure-blood here is loathe to admit, Granger is the smartest witch in our year. Also as you know, I'm in charge of something quite important this year," Draco paused, making sure everyone was paying attention. All of them were in the train compartment when he was bragging about his new mission. He blinked to keep his face stoic, remembering that he needed to sound tough. He couldn't let his friends to see him scared, so he acted like he was always expected to- cool and calculating. "Well because of _that_ , I've been rather busy. Mother of course keeps telling me that school is important, although, with the way things are going, I doubt I'll really need it, don't you all agree?" he chuckled, keeping up the façade. After he saw a few smirks he continued, "Well in order to appease my mother, I've decided to enlist the help of Granger, simple as that."

"You're consorting with the Mudblood, just to keep your mother happy? Don't you think she'll be upset with your choice?" Pansy asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

"No one here can argue that they are smarter than her, especially you Pans, don't kid yourself," Draco sneered. He had grown tired of her clinging to him, she needed to learn to move on. "Your best subject is Potions and I'm better in that class than you. She's really the only plausible choice. Besides, my father always told me that I need to assert myself over those of lesser breeding than us, so I'm taking what I want. He'd understand and I'm sure he'll bring Mother around, I'm not worried about that. But all that aside, you are to leave her be, I don't want to hear about any threats. Threats to her means threats to my mother's happiness, and I won't stand for that. So just get used to the fact that I'll be hanging around her for the time being."

"Well you could be doing worse, she's definitely grown up eh Draco?" Blaise snickered. He'd seen her around the castle without her school robes a few times. "So you're really going to be dating her? For her brains? What about the Golden Boy and Weasel?"

"Yea, essentially, but it's nothing to worry about- I'll have her falling all over me in no time. As for them, it's just an added bonus that I'm going to be pissing them off," Draco laughed. He knew his fellow Slytherins would appreciate seeing Weasley and Potter suffering because of him.

"Well as long as you know what you're getting into man. Like you said, she's smart, aren't you worried she'll figure out that you're doing something on the side?" Crabbe asked him.

"Naw, I'll keep her plenty distracted from the truth, she just has to stay pretty and do my homework. She'll have her hands full with Potter and Weasley anyways, they aren't going to like this at all. So, if that answers all of your questions, who wants to play some chess?"

The group of 6th year Slytherins looked around, trying to decide if he had lost his mind. But they came around, trusting him to know what he was doing; none of them were too keen on the idea though, but they'd go along with it, for now.

*Gryffindor Common Room*

As Hermione opened the portrait, she saw Harry and Ron playing chess by the fire, waiting for her and Ginny to return. They both sighed, readying themselves for the questions; they went and sat next to the boys and watched the chess game. It was silent for awhile, neither Harry nor Ron wanting to ask the first question and start an argument. But eventually the silence had to be broken, Ginny huffing with impatience.

"Well, is one of you going to say something? You were full of words earlier," she sighed, wanting to get it over with. None of them were fun when they were arguing with each other, especially when she had to choose between Hermione and her brother, and Harry usually sided with Ron.

"Well is Hermione going to listen to what we have to say?" Ron questioned.

"Only if you treat me as your friend and not as your property," Hermione shot back.

"Hermione, how did this happen?" Harry asked quietly, trying to keep the peace.

Hermione looked over at Harry, face softening, "Well it was all by accident really, I came across Draco when we were both rather… stressed out. We startled each other, but for some reason, we also kinda connected." Hermione paused, not sure how much she should tell them about their first encounter. She didn't want to tell them anything they might try to use against Draco. "We got to talking, both wanting to just forget about everything for awhile. You know, just relieve stress and not worry about our situations for a moment or two… and we realized that we're really not that different- obvious blood-status aside. So he asked me on a date, and I said yes. We actually had a great time."

"But Hermione, he's been so mean to you since first year! Have you forgotten that?" Ron asked.

"No I haven't forgotten, but I have forgiven. And that is my right to do so, can you understand that?"

"No, I can't. How can you forgive that prat after all the things he's said and done?"

"I just have Ron, forgiving someone is very liberating, you should try it some time. I saw a new side of Draco that I hadn't seen before, one that was worth forgiving. I know that you haven't seen much good in him, and I can't ask you to forgive him yet but I'm hoping you'll at least respect my decision."

"So you two are officially together then, after one date?" Harry wanted to know.

"Yes, we are," Hermione answered, smiling.

"I'm going to be sick," Ron mumbled.

Ginny shook her head at her brother's immaturity, "I think Draco is pretty cool, we had a lot of fun today."

Ron sputtered in disbelief- his own sister? "Ginny, I can't believe you fell for his act too? I thought you were both smarter than that!"

"Ugh, Ron, will you ever grow up? Have you thought that maybe you're the one that needs to smarten up?" Ginny retorted.

"Yea, is it really so hard to believe that Draco can change, that there is another side to him?" Hermione asked.

"There can't be anoth-" Ron started to say.

"Hermione, I know you don't want to hear this right now but, remember what I was telling you about him? You can't also forget about that too, can you?" Harry interrupted.

"I haven't forgotten Harry, I just don't fully believe it that's all. I was never as sure as you were about it. I'm sorry."

Ron just stormed off, not wanting to listen to any more. Ginny just shrugged and gave them both a hug, mentioning that she was meeting some of her other friends for lunch.

"Hermione, I'm not going to get mad like Ron, I know you are smart, and I know you are a very caring person. I'm worried about you, that maybe Malfoy is taking advantage of your caring nature. But I still want us to be able to talk and I'll do my best to keep Ron from getting mad okay? That's the best I can do right now," Harry conceded.

"Harry, that's more than enough, I know it can't be easy for you, you two have a very troubled history and you have no reason to forgive him yet. But I would appreciate not losing you guys as friends over this," Hermione admitted, giving Harry a hug. "Ready for a light lunch, then we can go over some homework?"

"That sound good Mione, homework sounds like a safe subject, I'm sure Ron will join us."

Harry called Ron over and asked if he was going to lunch; he agreed after Hermione promised to not mention Malfoy (who promised that she wouldn't as long as no one else did). The trio went back down the stairs, quieter than usual, unsure of what to talk about. When they got to the Dining Hall, they sat by Ginny and her friends, Lavender was already sitting with Parvarti, none of them were keen on joining the trio right now, knowing things were tense. As they ate lunch, they gradually warmed into conversation, talking about classes and how much homework they had. Harry snuck a few glances over to the Slytherin table while they were eating, watching Draco closely. He wondered what he had said to Hermione to get her to trust him; he must be a really good actor to fool her. Suddenly he got an idea, he mentally kicked himself for not seeing it earlier. Now he just needed to find the right time to broach the subject.

When they made it back to the Common Room, Harry secured them a place by the fire while Hermione and Ron got their school bags. He'd have to be really careful when bringing up the subject; he couldn't have either of his friends getting mad right now. But this wasn't something that could wait… the sooner he suggested the idea to Hermione, the better!

"Alright, do you guys want to work on Charms homework first? Or maybe Transfiguration?" Hermione asked, pulling out her parchment.

Ron and Harry agreed on Transfiguration, deciding they'd need more help with that than Charms. The group worked quietly for awhile, Hermione occasionally answering questions and looking over what they'd written. As the group tired of homework and Ron was scribbling on his parchment, Harry decided to bring up Malfoy again.

"Hey Hermione, I wanted to ask you something, about what we talked about earlier," Harry mentioned, eyeing Ron.

Luckily Ron hadn't noticed anything and Hermione nodded for him to continue. Harry took a deep breath and took the plunge. "Well I was thinking about it during lunch, um, I don't want you to get mad if I say this wrong but… well, is it possible that, maybe you could spy on Malfoy?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, was he seriously asking if she'd spy on her boyfriend for him? Not that she could tell him anything anyways, but Harry didn't know that. This… this wasn't what she was expecting- how could she keep a secret from Harry when he was asking this of her? Because of the Fidelus Charm… did that mean she'd have to outright lie to one of her best friends? This was more than just omitting information…

"I mean, if you really do believe he's not the person we think, maybe you could come up with some evidence, something I'd believe. And if on the off chance you find out that he's been lying to you, do you think you would keep me in the loop?"

"So, you want me to find you some redeeming information on Draco? If I can, although you don't really think it's possible. And if it turns out I was wrong, you want me to continue to date him so I can gather information on his actions?" Wow… hadn't she just told Draco the other day that Harry was supposed to have more tact than Ron? Hermione sighed… but the more she thought about it, the more she realized, Ron would have just demanded she spy for them. At least Harry did try to word it a bit more politely. Still though, this was going to cause a lot of stress for her…

"Yea, pretty much," Harry admitted.

"Harry sometimes I wonder about you," Hermione sighed, although she couldn't fault him for it. In a way he had been right about Draco, just for the wrong reasons, but she had to keep quiet about it for now. "If it will make you feel better, I'll keep an eye out alright? Although I honestly don't know what you'll think I'll find out either way. He's either the changed person I think he is and he'll just continue to be nice to me, or he's lying and I doubt he'll let me catch him in the act."

"So you aren't mad right?"

"No, I'm not mad Harry, I know you are concerned about his actions, you have been all year. Just don't get too obsessed okay, there are other things to pay attention to," Hermione told him, glancing over at Ginny and giving Harry a knowing look.

Harry blushed at what she was implying, wondering at how he felt about Ginny. Hermione stood up, letting them both know she was going to take a break from homework before dinner, heading up to her room to think about her situation.

*Dungeons*

Draco felt like he had won his friend's over for the time being, he was sitting back on the couches, watching Blaise and Theo play chess. Pansy was throwing him dirty looks but she was just jealous that he wasn't giving her any attention. She had come over and sat in his lap earlier, coyly smiling at him; he had all but shoved her to the ground and told her he wasn't interested.

"You're only pretending to date the Mudblood to use her, that doesn't mean that you can't still give me attention right? I mean, it's not like anyone here will tell her. Mudbloods don't even have feelings so it's not like you're cheating on her," Pansy sneered.

Draco saw red when she started spouting off about Muggle-borns like that. But he had kept his cool, barely, and told her that he just wasn't into her anymore- which was completely true. They had broken up at the end of 4th year, she was way too clingy for him, and always calling him 'Drackie' which irked him to no end. She had been told repeatedly not to call him that but she insisted. He just couldn't find himself to stay with her when he was infuriated by her more times than not; she had good intentions but they just weren't for him.

Soon he found himself thinking about Hermione , wondering how things were going for her. They couldn't sit together all the time and he doubted she'd feel safe enough to come eat at the Slytherin table… honestly he didn't want her there, he knew Pansy and her friends would try their hardest to upset her. Blaise and Theo would be alright as far as he could guess, and Goyle and Crabbe, they hardly said anything anyways. He'd really have to watch himself around Theo, the biggest unknown, his father was a Death Eater as well, but overall he kept to himself. As long as he didn't get wind of their real relationship it should be alright. Draco supposed he might be able to manage lunch with her during the week and maybe breakfast on the weekends. Draco definitely wanted to see her after the 'conversation' with Pansy. Looking over at her again, he wondered what she was thinking… if he knew Pansy, which he did, she was going to try something to get Hermione to leave him. She just couldn't stop herself from interfering, truly believing that he belonged to her. It drove him mad sometimes, although it did have its advantages the last few years. At least he never had to go to any dances alone.


	9. Stories and Excuses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco has a talk with his Slytherin Housemates while Hermione faces Harry and Ron

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 2-25-16: Reading back through this, I feel kinda bad about making Pansy so... one-dimensional... I promise I don't hate Slytherins! It was just that, a lot of the Dramione fics that I read had Pansy as a jealous Draco fangirl and I guess that stuck in my head. I had plans for making her come around originally as well but I might bump that up a little sooner than I had intended XD But I needed to add in some credibly drama somehow and Pansy seemed like the most plausible source. Man... wow... Self, get it together!

*Dungeons*

"Yo, Draco, please tell me I didn't see what I thought I saw earlier at breakfast?" Blaise started as soon as Draco cleared the entrance to the common room.

"Drackie, tell us someone was playing some mean prank on us," Pansy pleaded, wrapping her arms around him.

Draco managed to pull himself out of her grasp and sat on one of the couches, waiting for the questions to stop. His friends recognized his posture and quieted down, wanting answers.

"I'm going to assume you are all talking about the fact that I saw with Granger at breakfast?" Draco inquired, everyone nodding.

"It's quite simple, as much as any Pure-blood here is loathe to admit, Granger is the smartest witch in our year. Also as you know, I'm in charge of something quite important this year," Draco paused, making sure everyone was paying attention. All of them were in the train compartment when he was bragging about his new mission. He blinked to keep his face stoic, remembering that he needed to sound tough. He couldn't let his friends to see him scared, so he acted like he was always expected to- cool and calculating. "Well because of _that_ , I've been rather busy. Mother of course keeps telling me that school is important, although, with the way things are going, I doubt I'll really need it, don't you all agree?" he chuckled, keeping up the façade. After he saw a few smirks he continued, "Well in order to appease my mother, I've decided to enlist the help of Granger, simple as that."

"You're consorting with the Mudblood, just to keep your mother happy? Don't you think she'll be upset with your choice?" Pansy asked, disbelief evident in her voice.

"No one here can argue that they are smarter than her, especially you Pans, don't kid yourself," Draco sneered. He had grown tired of her clinging to him, she needed to learn to move on. "Your best subject is Potions and I'm better in that class than you. She's really the only plausible choice. Besides, my father always told me that I need to assert myself over those of lesser breeding than us, so I'm taking what I want. He'd understand and I'm sure he'll bring Mother around, I'm not worried about that. But all that aside, you are to leave her be, I don't want to hear about any threats. Threats to her means threats to my mother's happiness, and I won't stand for that. So just get used to the fact that I'll be hanging around her for the time being."

"Well you could be doing worse, she's definitely grown up eh Draco?" Blaise snickered. He'd seen her around the castle without her school robes a few times. "So you're really going to be dating her? For her brains? What about the Golden Boy and Weasel?"

"Yea, essentially, but it's nothing to worry about- I'll have her falling all over me in no time. As for them, it's just an added bonus that I'm going to be pissing them off," Draco laughed. He knew his fellow Slytherins would appreciate seeing Weasley and Potter suffering because of him.

"Well as long as you know what you're getting into man. Like you said, she's smart, aren't you worried she'll figure out that you're doing something on the side?" Crabbe asked him.

"Naw, I'll keep her plenty distracted from the truth, she just has to stay pretty and do my homework. She'll have her hands full with Potter and Weasley anyways, they aren't going to like this at all. So, if that answers all of your questions, who wants to play some chess?"

The group of 6th year Slytherins looked around, trying to decide if he had lost his mind. But they came around, trusting him to know what he was doing; none of them were too keen on the idea though, but they'd go along with it, for now.

*Gryffindor Common Room*

As Hermione opened the portrait, she saw Harry and Ron playing chess by the fire, waiting for her and Ginny to return. They both sighed, readying themselves for the questions; they went and sat next to the boys and watched the chess game. It was silent for awhile, neither Harry nor Ron wanting to ask the first question and start an argument. But eventually the silence had to be broken, Ginny huffing with impatience.

"Well, is one of you going to say something? You were full of words earlier," she sighed, wanting to get it over with. None of them were fun when they were arguing with each other, especially when she had to choose between Hermione and her brother, and Harry usually sided with Ron.

"Well is Hermione going to listen to what we have to say?" Ron questioned.

"Only if you treat me as your friend and not as your property," Hermione shot back.

"Hermione, how did this happen?" Harry asked quietly, trying to keep the peace.

Hermione looked over at Harry, face softening, "Well it was all by accident really, I came across Draco when we were both rather… stressed out. We startled each other, but for some reason, we also kinda connected." Hermione paused, not sure how much she should tell them about their first encounter. She didn't want to tell them anything they might try to use against Draco. "We got to talking, both wanting to just forget about everything for awhile. You know, just relieve stress and not worry about our situations for a moment or two… and we realized that we're really not that different- obvious blood-status aside. So he asked me on a date, and I said yes. We actually had a great time."

"But Hermione, he's been so mean to you since first year! Have you forgotten that?" Ron asked.

"No I haven't forgotten, but I have forgiven. And that is my right to do so, can you understand that?"

"No, I can't. How can you forgive that prat after all the things he's said and done?"

"I just have Ron, forgiving someone is very liberating, you should try it some time. I saw a new side of Draco that I hadn't seen before, one that was worth forgiving. I know that you haven't seen much good in him, and I can't ask you to forgive him yet but I'm hoping you'll at least respect my decision."

"So you two are officially together then, after one date?" Harry wanted to know.

"Yes, we are," Hermione answered, smiling.

"I'm going to be sick," Ron mumbled.

Ginny shook her head at her brother's immaturity, "I think Draco is pretty cool, we had a lot of fun today."

Ron sputtered in disbelief- his own sister? "Ginny, I can't believe you fell for his act too? I thought you were both smarter than that!"

"Ugh, Ron, will you ever grow up? Have you thought that maybe you're the one that needs to smarten up?" Ginny retorted.

"Yea, is it really so hard to believe that Draco can change, that there is another side to him?" Hermione asked.

"There can't be anoth-" Ron started to say.

"Hermione, I know you don't want to hear this right now but, remember what I was telling you about him? You can't also forget about that too, can you?" Harry interrupted.

"I haven't forgotten Harry, I just don't fully believe it that's all. I was never as sure as you were about it. I'm sorry."

Ron just stormed off, not wanting to listen to any more. Ginny just shrugged and gave them both a hug, mentioning that she was meeting some of her other friends for lunch.

"Hermione, I'm not going to get mad like Ron, I know you are smart, and I know you are a very caring person. I'm worried about you, that maybe Malfoy is taking advantage of your caring nature. But I still want us to be able to talk and I'll do my best to keep Ron from getting mad okay? That's the best I can do right now," Harry conceded.

"Harry, that's more than enough, I know it can't be easy for you, you two have a very troubled history and you have no reason to forgive him yet. But I would appreciate not losing you guys as friends over this," Hermione admitted, giving Harry a hug. "Ready for a light lunch, then we can go over some homework?"

"That sound good Mione, homework sounds like a safe subject, I'm sure Ron will join us."

Harry called Ron over and asked if he was going to lunch; he agreed after Hermione promised to not mention Malfoy (who promised that she wouldn't as long as no one else did). The trio went back down the stairs, quieter than usual, unsure of what to talk about. When they got to the Dining Hall, they sat by Ginny and her friends, Lavender was already sitting with Parvarti, none of them were keen on joining the trio right now, knowing things were tense. As they ate lunch, they gradually warmed into conversation, talking about classes and how much homework they had. Harry snuck a few glances over to the Slytherin table while they were eating, watching Draco closely. He wondered what he had said to Hermione to get her to trust him; he must be a really good actor to fool her. Suddenly he got an idea, he mentally kicked himself for not seeing it earlier. Now he just needed to find the right time to broach the subject.

When they made it back to the Common Room, Harry secured them a place by the fire while Hermione and Ron got their school bags. He'd have to be really careful when bringing up the subject; he couldn't have either of his friends getting mad right now. But this wasn't something that could wait… the sooner he suggested the idea to Hermione, the better!

"Alright, do you guys want to work on Charms homework first? Or maybe Transfiguration?" Hermione asked, pulling out her parchment.

Ron and Harry agreed on Transfiguration, deciding they'd need more help with that than Charms. The group worked quietly for awhile, Hermione occasionally answering questions and looking over what they'd written. As the group tired of homework and Ron was scribbling on his parchment, Harry decided to bring up Malfoy again.

"Hey Hermione, I wanted to ask you something, about what we talked about earlier," Harry mentioned, eyeing Ron.

Luckily Ron hadn't noticed anything and Hermione nodded for him to continue. Harry took a deep breath and took the plunge. "Well I was thinking about it during lunch, um, I don't want you to get mad if I say this wrong but… well, is it possible that, maybe you could spy on Malfoy?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow at him, was he seriously asking if she'd spy on her boyfriend for him? Not that she could tell him anything anyways, but Harry didn't know that. This… this wasn't what she was expecting- how could she keep a secret from Harry when he was asking this of her? Because of the Fidelus Charm… did that mean she'd have to outright lie to one of her best friends? This was more than just omitting information…

"I mean, if you really do believe he's not the person we think, maybe you could come up with some evidence, something I'd believe. And if on the off chance you find out that he's been lying to you, do you think you would keep me in the loop?"

"So, you want me to find you some redeeming information on Draco? If I can, although you don't really think it's possible. And if it turns out I was wrong, you want me to continue to date him so I can gather information on his actions?" Wow… hadn't she just told Draco the other day that Harry was supposed to have more tact than Ron? Hermione sighed… but the more she thought about it, the more she realized, Ron would have just demanded she spy for them. At least Harry did try to word it a bit more politely. Still though, this was going to cause a lot of stress for her…

"Yea, pretty much," Harry admitted.

"Harry sometimes I wonder about you," Hermione sighed, although she couldn't fault him for it. In a way he had been right about Draco, just for the wrong reasons, but she had to keep quiet about it for now. "If it will make you feel better, I'll keep an eye out alright? Although I honestly don't know what you'll think I'll find out either way. He's either the changed person I think he is and he'll just continue to be nice to me, or he's lying and I doubt he'll let me catch him in the act."

"So you aren't mad right?"

"No, I'm not mad Harry, I know you are concerned about his actions, you have been all year. Just don't get too obsessed okay, there are other things to pay attention to," Hermione told him, glancing over at Ginny and giving Harry a knowing look.

Harry blushed at what she was implying, wondering at how he felt about Ginny. Hermione stood up, letting them both know she was going to take a break from homework before dinner, heading up to her room to think about her situation.

*Dungeons*

Draco felt like he had won his friend's over for the time being, he was sitting back on the couches, watching Blaise and Theo play chess. Pansy was throwing him dirty looks but she was just jealous that he wasn't giving her any attention. She had come over and sat in his lap earlier, coyly smiling at him; he had all but shoved her to the ground and told her he wasn't interested.

"You're only pretending to date the Mudblood to use her, that doesn't mean that you can't still give me attention right? I mean, it's not like anyone here will tell her. Mudbloods don't even have feelings so it's not like you're cheating on her," Pansy sneered.

Draco saw red when she started spouting off about Muggle-borns like that. But he had kept his cool, barely, and told her that he just wasn't into her anymore- which was completely true. They had broken up at the end of 4th year, she was way too clingy for him, and always calling him 'Drackie' which irked him to no end. She had been told repeatedly not to call him that but she insisted. He just couldn't find himself to stay with her when he was infuriated by her more times than not; she had good intentions but they just weren't for him.

Soon he found himself thinking about Hermione , wondering how things were going for her. They couldn't sit together all the time and he doubted she'd feel safe enough to come eat at the Slytherin table… honestly he didn't want her there, he knew Pansy and her friends would try their hardest to upset her. Blaise and Theo would be alright as far as he could guess, and Goyle and Crabbe, they hardly said anything anyways. He'd really have to watch himself around Theo, the biggest unknown, his father was a Death Eater as well, but overall he kept to himself. As long as he didn't get wind of their real relationship it should be alright. Draco supposed he might be able to manage lunch with her during the week and maybe breakfast on the weekends. Draco definitely wanted to see her after the 'conversation' with Pansy. Looking over at her again, he wondered what she was thinking… if he knew Pansy, which he did, she was going to try something to get Hermione to leave him. She just couldn't stop herself from interfering, truly believing that he belonged to her. It drove him mad sometimes, although it did have its advantages the last few years. At least he never had to go to any dances alone.


	10. The Vanishing Cabinet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The couple does a little 'studying', and manages to learn a few things about the Vanishing Cabinets, Hermione borrows something from Harry, and Draco announces his feelings.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to mention something, I want everyone to know that Draco calls Hermione Princess, not because of the Gryffindor Princess thing that pops up in some fics (which I personally think is cute) but because she is one to him. She's special, she has so much compassion and is full of good virtues, basically everything he thinks he's not. For awhile now he'd begun to see himself as a villain, seeing as he has been ordered to kill Dumbledore. But Hermione shows up and begins to teach him that he is still capable of good, and that it's not too late for him. She is basically his knight in shining armor, despite the fact that she's a Gryffindor, that he's supposed to hate her... She is his Princess, and he will do anything for her. Plus he knows it makes her feel special, so why wouldn't he call her that?  
> That's all, just wanted to clarify, since his reasoning really means a lot to me, I wanted to make sure everyone was taking it as I intended.

*Great Hall*

Hermione noticed that Harry watched the Slytherin table intently all throughout dinner; he seemed to have renewed his vendetta against Draco since their last talk. Ron politely ignored them both, choosing to sit with Lavender and snog. Hermione just tried to not blatantly stare at Draco the whole time, so instead she struck up conversation with Ginny. Occasionally Hermione glanced at the Slytherin table; she noticed that Pansy was trying hard to keep Draco's attention. Although she should feel jealous, she didn't- Pansy was always vying for his attention, it would be no different now that he was dating a Gryffindor. She would definitely have to be on her toes… Pansy had been a thorn in her side since first year, and based on the dirty looks Pansy kept giving her… it was going to get a lot worse.

As dinner past and everyone started in on dessert, Draco decided to excuse himself from the table and talk to Hermione. Pansy hadn't stopped talking all night and she kept trying to wrap her arm in his; he was grateful when Blaise 'accidently' knocked over Theo's goblet and spilled juice on her lap. The distraction had allowed him to get away without having to make a jeer at Pansy… she was annoying but he didn't want to hurt her feelings. If he did that, then she'd become even more suspicious of his 'fake' relationship. He felt a lot of stares as he made his way to stand behind Hermione, waiting for her and Ginny to notice him.

"Oh, hey there Draco, what's up?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to help me _study_ tonight, get a head start before classes this week?" Draco asked, putting a slight emphasis on 'study'.

Hermione blinked a few times, catching the emphasis, her eyes widened in understanding, "Yea that sounds good. I can work on the rest of the homework I didn't finish earlier."

Draco nodded, smiling, now he'd be able to spend more time with her, and hopefully do something about the cabinets. Ginny and Hermione scooted apart so he could sit with them while they finished; Neville and Colin almost dropping their spoons as he sat across from them. Draco tried to hide his smirk- he was still a Slytherin after all, he loved causing a bit of mayhem here and there. Ron excused himself and Lavender, throwing nasty glares down the table as they left, Ginny made a face at him to match his immaturity. As the trio stood up, Ginny glanced at Harry to see if he was coming but he was talking to Dean and Seamus so she let him stay. Draco followed them up to the tower, standing down the stairs a bit so he didn't hear their password.

Ginny excused herself to go up to her dormitory, deciding to work on her homework alone, instead of sitting and watching her brother snog his girlfriend. Hermione snuck past the busy couple and a few younger Gryffindors and went up to the 6th year boys' dorms. She disliked stealing but she told herself she was just going to borrow it, not steal it permanently. Quickly finding Harry's bed, she opened his trunk and immediately found the Marauder's Map, stuffing it into her robes. She knew that Harry had been watching the map religiously since school began, trying to watch Malfoy's every move. Hermione figured she'd borrow it so he wouldn't not see them in the library doing homework. Plus they'd be able to make sure the hallway was clear before they left the Room of Requirement. She quickly went back down the Common Room, not wanting Harry or Ron to spot her in there. Luckily Harry was still out and Ron hadn't noticed a thing. Grabbing her backpack, Hermione went back out to meet Draco.

"Did you want to get your bag just in case or no?"

"I suppose I should, just in case we run into anybody," Draco shrugged.

As the pair made their way to the dungeons, Hermione began to feel nervous; were they really going to let Death Eaters into the school? What would happen when the Order found out she had participated?

"Calm down Princess, no one is going to know. Well not beside you, me, and the Headmaster. And he's the one that told us it had to happen, he has some grand plan that we are only a small part of."

"How did you know I was worried?"

"You were fidgeting, you only do that when you are worried or nervous. And I know you can't be that nervous to walk down to the dungeons, so it had to be about our mission."

Hermione sighed… she wasn't used to someone paying such close attention to her and told him as much. Harry and Ron were pretty clueless about her quirks and it allowed her worrying to go unnoticed. Draco had already picked up on quite a few and he had only been close to her for a week now... Is this how it was for most couples? Looking up at him, she smiled warmly, finally feeling noticed. Draco smiled back at her and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close, happy that he could be open about their relationship even if his friend's thought it was fake.

She waited outside the dungeons as Draco got his bag, breathing a sigh of relief when no one else made their way in or out. She didn't feel like getting into a fight at the moment, especially being a Prefect. Luckily Draco was a Prefect as well, even if he had been shirking his duties this year. Although as Hermione thought about it, maybe Dumbledore had realized why and decided not to take away his badge. Dumbledore definitely had a strange way of thinking and believing in people... If he was no longer a Prefect, wouldn't that be less stress for him? But then again… that was probably Dumbledore's way of showing Draco that someone still believed in him. Maybe she'd talk with the Head Girl about scheduling them together, so that way they'd have time to work on their project and they'd be promoting inter-House unity. Besides, then the Head Boy and Girl would know he's not being irresponsible anymore because well, no way would Hermione let her partner slack off!

"What are you thinking about now? You have a pretty determined look on your face there," Draco called out as he came back into the hallway.

"Oh, I was thinking of talking to the Head Girl about scheduling us to be patrol partners for Prefect duty, and then we can have a reason for being out and about at night. Plus we can spend more time together," Hermione said, smiling.

"Ah, I see your brain has been working again, I'm surprised I haven't lost my badge honestly."

"I thought about that too, I think Dumbledore may have talked the Heads into letting you stay a Prefect. How he did that I'm not sure… you have been neglecting things."

"Yea, kinda have other things on my mind, but now I'm glad for it. But, if we're supposed to be patrolling, how will we work on our project?"

"I've got an answer for that as well, but I'll tell you when we get to the Room of Requirement," Hermione whispered, grabbing Draco's hand and pulling him along.

As Draco opened the Room, Hermione pulled out the map and whispered the passphrase. Quickly surveying the area, she made sure they were alone before heading into the Room and locking the door. Draco led the way through the crowded room towards the dresser. He lifted the cloth and folded it neatly, letting Hermione look it over.

"Hmm, it might be a little difficult to cast the charms when only one cabinet is readily in reach but we should be okay, we still have some time to work on it."

"I hope we can figure it out," Draco contemplated, looking at the blasted thing.

"Oh, and one more thing, and it has to remain a secret okay?"

"Sure, I'm good with secrets."

Hermione pulled the map out again, walking over to Draco and handing it to him.

"And this is?" Draco questioned, looking at the map with wide eyes.

"It's called the Marauder's Map, invented by Misters Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. It shows where everyone in the castle is at any given time, excluding in hidden rooms, such as this one."

"Wait, is this how you and the others got around the castle so much?!"

"Well, not at first, we didn't find it until our third year, but after that yea we used it. Harry has been using it to try and keep track of you," Hermione said quickly.

"Yea, after the incident on the train, I'm not surprised, although knowing he has this, I'm glad it can't see inside this room. Plans may have gone bad a lot earlier if he had caught on."

"And we were confused at first, the Map has never been wrong, but we kept seeing a group of first and second year students but they were marked as Crabbe and Goyle," she revealed, looking at Draco for an explanation.

"Oh, I had them drink Polyjuice Potion. It wouldn't do to have the same two people outside the hallway every time I was in here," Draco confessed. "So the Map isn't affected by potions, interesting."

"That is good to know, Harry was worried that it was messing up. He never thought about using a potion I suppose. I never put much thought into it because I was a little more skeptical. But in a way, Harry was right, I never would have thought."

"Well I'm glad you weren't too keen on helping him figure it out, things would have been very different. And I'm glad you know my side of it as well, as sinister as it may be," Draco murmured.

"It's okay Draco, I know what's going on, and I'm still by your side for all of this. We'll be able to protect as many of the students as possible by knowing when they are coming into the school."

"That does mean a lot to me," Draco sighed, looking into her eyes.

"I figured that we could use the Map in place of patrolling, we'd be able to see if anyone was out late and know exactly where they were. Plus we'll be able to see if anyone is outside before we leave."

"I'm glad Potter has something like this, and that you aren't above borrowing it to help me out."

Hermione blushed and set the map on a table next to the cabinet and inspected it further. She opened the doors and felt along the inside, getting a feel for the broken magic inside. Draco watched her, unsure of what she was looking for or what she was going to do about it.

"There are definitely traces of magic, so it is partially connected to the other cabinet, did you notice this when you first started?"

"Honestly, no. I didn't inspect it that closely, and I doubt I caused that to happen," he answered his girlfriend.

"That's a good sign then, they want to be connected, so any strong magic we cast on this one should be carried over to its twin. Does it only transport living things?"

"I'm not sure, I mean, when I tried inanimate objects, there was no way to know what was happening to it. Then when I started sending birds, they'd come back dead. I have no idea if they survived the original trip or not. I almost think that Borgin kills the birds before sending them back. Although that does at least mean it will transport nonliving things, I just don't know if they survive the trip. Kinda an important part of the whole thing, I wouldn't mind if some key Death Eaters didn't make the trip but then I'd be the one to pay."

"Yea, I think the only way to find out for sure is for you to be at one and me at the other, then we'll know that no one interfered with the birds. I vote that you are the one to visit the shop and I can stay here," Hermione stated.

Draco just chuckled, it certainly wouldn't do for Hermione to show up at Borgin and Burkes and start looking around. That would just be alerting everyone to her involvement and his betrayal; he could easily lie to Borgin about who stayed behind to send the birds the shop. Now he just had to get to the shop, luckily Easter holiday was coming up and he'd be able to go home. Suddenly he was beyond relieved that he was no longer alone in this. To express his gratitude he walked over to Hermione and pulled her close, nuzzling her hair and breathing deep.

"Draco?"

"Hermione, I-I love you," he whispered in her ear.

Hermione squeezed Draco, face blushing; she buried her face in his chest, smiling uncontrollably. Had he really just said that? How did this not feel so sudden, she should feel nervous, this was too soon wasn't it? Instead she found herself looking up at his face, tears building in her eyes, "I love you back Draco."

Draco let out the breath he hadn't even realized he was holding, happiness flooding his body at her response. He was loved, Hermione loved him, she was going to stand by his side and help him overcome his obstacles. They stayed like that, holding onto each other, losing themselves in the moment, and forgetting about the horrible task they needed to complete.


	11. Spending Time Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Monday comes along and Draco kinda manages to find an ally in Neville; Hermione decides to talk with the Head Girl about the patrolling situation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter, I had to make up who was the Head Girl and Head Boy, the Head girl, is just someone I made up, I didn't find anyone that suited my tastes so I made her up. I made her a Hufflepuff because I didn't want to have everything Gryffindor centered. Also for the Head Boy, I picked Adrian Pucey, I know he was 2 years older than Harry and everyone, but for the sake of the story I added him in as a 7th year. He seemed to be one of the more open Slytherins and not so cold so he fit perfectly. I made him a Slytherin b.c it would help with the Prefect situations. Enjoy the chapter!

Hermione pulled away reluctantly after a few moments to turn back to the dresser. She intertwined her fingers with Draco's, pulling him with her so they could both concentrate on it. She guided his hands to the wood, showing him the traces of magic that he hadn't noticed before. Draco looked over at her, amazed that she had noticed the faint magic, could connect with it like that; something he had overlooked entirely.

"So, because of this magic, the cabinets are still connected and we can fix them for sure?"

"I'm almost 100% positive we can. The cabinets want to be fixed, they want to be together again. Whoever built them used strong magic, it's lasted all of these years and through a lot of damage. It would help if we knew how they got damaged in the first place, but I think we'll be okay as is."

The pair looked over some of the books that Hermione had brought with her, looking for charms and spells that could help them. Draco informed his companion that he had already cast a repair charm on both wardrobes, fixing their broken down appearance. They discussed trying a variation of _occulus reparo_ by using the term magicka to see if that might help. They also wanted to strengthen the magic by using a Protean Charm, like Hermione had done with the D.A. Galleons; then they'd have a reinforced magical link. By the time the duo had made a list of possible spells to use, it had gotten pretty late.

"So much for that 'homework' we were supposed to be doing," Draco chuckled.

"Well all my homework for tomorrow is done, is yours?"

"I think so, although I definitely have to work on homework tomorrow. Have a lot that is due on Wednesday, hopefully you can help me with that? For real this time."

Hermione laughed, why didn't anyone else do their homework ahead of time? But she nodded her head, happy to spend more time with him; hopefully none of the Slytherins came and bothered them. They looked over at the parchment, making sure that no one was waiting for them outside and the patrolling Prefects weren't coming their way. They said their goodnights and went to their Common Rooms, each lost in thought.

*Monday*

Hermione managed to sit with Ron and Harry for breakfast without anyone mentioning Draco, although Harry didn't really look like he was concentrating on breakfast. She didn't have long to dwell on it before everyone left for their first class of the day. Keeping her head down, she was able to focus on all her classes; now that she was helping Draco, falling behind wasn't an option. Remembering her workload from third year, Hermione buckled down and organized her assignments in between classes, that way, after dinner, she'd be able to get it all done quickly and focus on searching for more spells that might help them. Working with the cabinets were more complicated than she had original thought; they hadn't been able to try any spells the other night but Hermione could feel the protection magic that would be hard to work around. With a deep sigh, Hermione joined her friends as they went down to lunch.

Draco and his gang were heading to lunch after a long Charms class, when Pansy started making trouble. He noticed her whispering with Millicent Bulstrode, a dark gleam in their eyes as they looked over at the Gryffindor table. Draco was torn, he had wanted to sit with Hermione for lunch, but now he was tempted to stay and try to find out what they were planning. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Blaise slowing down, trying to overhear their conversation. Blaise was dependable, he didn't openly take sides with any one person or another but Draco had won Blaise's allegiance a few years ago. Draco never pulled Blaise in on any of his schemes because he was always trying to stay neutral, but whenever Draco needed information, Blaise was the one to go to. Making a decision, the blond made his way over to the red and gold table, catching Blaise's eye to ensure that he'd keep an eye on the girls. Once he laid eyes on Hermione though, his apprehension disappeared. He just felt so at ease with her; most of the other students probably wouldn't have noticed, but a few did. His face was always a mask, schooled since a young age to not betray any feelings, but his eyes gave him away this time. The knowing smile from Ginny confirmed it; he just lit up when he was thinking of her. Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and leaned his cheek next to hers.

"How is my Princess doing today?"

"Oh, hi Draco, you startled me! I'm good, do you still want to do homework tonight?"

"Of course, I want to keep my place as 2nd student in our year. Mind if I have lunch with you?"

"Please, join us," Hermione assured him, scooting over.

Draco quickly sat next to her before anyone at the table could comment on his presence. He looked over to see who was on his other side and saw Longbottom glaring at him.

"Hello, how are you Longbottom?" Draco asked, trying to make polite conversation as he started putting food on his plate.

"Doing just fine before you arrived Malfoy, why are you sitting here, you aren't a Gryffindor," Neville accused.

"Well, I'm trying to spend more time with Hermione, and I'd rather she didn't come sit at the Slytherin table. Not that anyone here would allow her to sit in the snake's den regardless. I figure I can put up being in enemy territory more then she can."

"Hermione is a Gryffindor, she's braver than you Malfoy."

"I never said she was chicken Longbottom," Draco hissed, trying to keep his cool. "Just that I was more suited to it. Slytherins can be nasty and I'd rather she didn't have to sit and listen to their jeers why she's trying to eat. At least you Gryffindors keep your malice straightforward, I can handle that easily."

Neville looked the blond over, trying to see what he was up to, "I'll be watching you, Hermione is my friend."

"I know she is, she's helped you a lot through the years, I'm not surprised you became friends, and you're in the same year. I'm sure that all the 5th year students and above are keeping an eye on me at this table. Just don't treat her like Weasley does and we won't have a problem."

"What's that supposed to mean exactly?"

Draco turned, checking to make sure Hermione was still absorbed in her conversation and that Ron wasn't within earshot. "He treats her like he owns her, he doesn't make any time for her until he needs something from her, then when she does something he doesn't want her to, he tries to bully her into changing her mind. Surely you've noticed how he refuses to let her do anything he deems as inappropriate yet whenever she needs a friend, he's not there. Half the time he's the reason she cries. Even I can see that from the Slytherin table. I know you can't be that dense, even if I implied that over the years."

Neville smirked at the comment, Malfoy had said his fair share of rude things towards him. But as he looked over at his friend, he became serious again, "I have noticed that, they aren't exactly quiet when they get in a fight, and Ron can be pretty dense when it comes to girls. But no, I would never treat her like that. I just wanted you to know I'll be watching you."

Draco nodded his head in understanding, "And I just want you to know that I won't treat her like that either. She's a lioness, she's more than capable of making her own decisions, I can appreciate the challenges she throws my way instead of being intimidated by them."

Neville regarded the Slytherin as he turned away, engaging Ginny in conversation. At least Malfoy had always voiced his thoughts, he wasn't shy about offending anyone; Neville knew he felt strongly about Hermione. He just didn't understand how it had happened. If he could appreciate her then he was glad, especially if he was able to treat her right, when Ron never seemed to be able to. Neville shook his head, how had Malfoy become an almost accepted part of the Gryffindor table?

When lunch was over, Draco walked with Hermione to Ancient Runes, telling her about his brief discussion with Neville. She was amazed at how the Gryffindors almost seemed to accept him being there. He had been a thorn in their side for years, especially as a Slytherin, and yet, no one beside Ron had really hassled him. Hermione counted her blessing as she looked at the blond sitting next to her; she never thought she'd be openly dating him or that he had a sweet side. All too soon class was over and they went their separate ways, being in separate Houses was hard but they did have some classes together.

Tonight Hermione was going to talk with the Head Girl about the patrols; she was sure that everyone would be happy, except Pansy and Ron. With everyone on edge because of Voldemort having come back, they needed all the Prefects working together. Since Draco had been neglecting his duties, Pansy had been jumping around, joining other duos on their rounds- no one was to do rounds alone. At least Pansy had been a good friend, always coming up with excuses for Draco and not condemning his absentee behavior. Maybe now, Ron would be patrolling with Pansy since she would be working with Draco. On second that… that was a horrible idea…

As dinner approached, Hermione and her friends went up to change out of their school robes and drop off their bags. Ron and Harry were still a little awkward around her, but she felt like she was doing a much better job of not flaunting her relationship, unlike Ron. He still hadn't realized how much he had embarrassed her and Harry when he thoughtlessly snogged Lavender in front of them. How could he not realize how awkward it was? Sure they cared about each other- they were dating, but how did he not feel self conscious about blatantly making out in front of everyone? Maybe she should return the favor! But then she'd also have to deal with Harry being hurt by her actions… she couldn't bring herself to do that. At least she didn't feel alone any more, Draco made her feel important. When the trio entered the Dining Hall, Hermione made her way to the Hufflepuff table, seeking out the Head Girl.

"Hey Angela, can I talk with you for a moment?"

"Of course Hermione, sit with us," the Head Girl offered with a smile.

Hermione sat next to her, "Well I was wondering if I could talk to you about the patrolling duty. I was hoping I could work with Draco, I know we aren't of the same House, but Headmaster Dumbledore is always encouraging inter-House unity."

"You want to work with a Slytherin? What about Ron?"

"Well you could try to place him with Pansy but I doubt that would work. But maybe we can mix up some of the other Prefects too, work on all the Houses working together."

"That's a good idea, at our next meeting I'll have people make lists of who they would like to work with and who they can't. Hopefully someone will get along with the Slytherins, it wouldn't be fair for them to all work together still. But they are friendly with some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws so it should be alright. But can you really work with Malfoy?"

"Well, umm, I'll be honest, I know you don't fully support couples working together. I am dating Draco now, officially. But I'm sure I can get him to be more responsible, I'm not asking so we can get into trouble..."

"What? When did that happen? How did I miss that?"

"Well, it's only been a few days," Hermione confessed, blushing.

"You're right, normally I don't allow couples to work together, too many shenanigans. But, you are one of the hardest workers I know. You hate breaking rules, except when you are with Harry," Angela joked. "If you really think he'll be more responsible and will start performing his duties again, I'll allow it."

"Oh thank you Angela, you're the best. Thanks for understanding. Do you think you could talk with Adrian Pucey? I hardly ever see him and I don't exactly feel welcome at the Slytherin table."

"Yea, I'm sure he'll be open to the idea, he's been worried about Draco. And he's pretty open to new ideas so he should be able to convince the Slytherin Prefects to go along with the new patrol partners. I'm glad the Head Boy is friendly, I was worried at the beginning of the year about working with a Slytherin."

"Thanks, this means a lot to me," Hermione repeated.

Glad that she was able to get her point across, she trotted back over to her friends, eager to eat dinner. Sneaking a glance over to Slytherin, she saw Draco in a whispered conversation with Blaise. They had a Prefect meeting on Wednesday so hopefully they'd be able to work on the Cabinets some time after that. She quickly joined in with the others talking about what they were going to be doing over the Easter holiday.


	12. Dangerous Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blaise tells Draco what he knows about Pansy's scheme; Hermione and Ginny have some private time at breakfast. Then it's time for Potions! What is going to happen??

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 2-29-16: I'm seriously so mad at myself for cutting off chapters in the middle of the day...

When Draco went down for dinner, he pulled Blaise away from the rest of the group, sitting further away than usual. Once they sat and started eating, he glanced around to make sure Pansy and her group weren't looking their way.

"So, did you find out what Pansy was scheming?"

"Yea, tomorrow in Potions, she's going to have Millicent distract Professor Slughorn and she's going to put some Angel's Trumpet in Granger's potion."

"What? Angel's Trumpet? That could kill her if she drinks the potion, what's wrong with her?" Draco fumed, staring daggers at the witch down the table. "Not to mention… depending on the potion we make, it might have a bad reaction…"

"She claims she's only going to put a small amount in, but when she pulled out the jar, there was more than just a pinch. I don't know if she's going to use all of it or not… She's not the brightest, she only got by because of Snape. She probably honestly doesn't know just how dangerous it is, but that still doesn't excuse her- she isn't exactly stupid either, she would have done some research. So, what are you going to do?" Blaise asked.

"I'm not sure just yet. I'll probably have her sit with me in class so I can keep an eye on her potion. Maybe if I'm with her, Pansy will change her mind… she probably doesn't want me to know about her plan so she should back off."

"Alright, I'll help you keep an eye out- I don't want Granger to die just because Pansy is being a jealous idiot," Blaise assured him.

"Thanks, glad I can count on you."

"Well, you did help me out big time in our 4th year so I owe you a lot. Plus Pansy is annoying, so it will be fun to ruin her plans."

"I'll admit I'm surprised, I thought you didn't like Muggles or Muggle-borns?"

"Heh, dude, I'm a Slytherin, of course I'm going to say that. I don't care much for anyone, you know that. Mother didn't raise me to be touchy-feely or friendly, although I do consider you a friend now, so I will be cordial to your new girlfriend. At least privately, no promises when too many people are watching, I do want to uphold my reputation."

Draco laughed, Blaise could be hard to understand sometimes but he was trustworthy. The blond wondered how he really felt about Muggle-borns and the like, he just never seemed to be friendly towards anyone. Draco sighed and looked over at Hermione, watching her laugh with her friends; the Slytherin table hardly seemed so warm. Sure they talked and made friends, but Gryffindor was clearly the chummiest table. Hufflepuffs were quite laid back with everything and Ravenclaws were so used to studying that they spoke quietly most of the time. For years now he wondered what it would be like if he had been sorted into her house… he didn't know if he could adjust to the constant shows of emotion. Blaise and Draco continued to discuss ideas of how to deal with Pansy during dinner, keeping a wary eye on said witch the whole time.

*Tuesday*

Hermione woke up early, unable to sleep any longer, and she decided to head to Ginny's dorm and wake up her friend. She opened the curtains around Ginny's bed and flopped down next to the redhead.

"Psst, Gin, wake up, I'm hungry."

"Wha? I don't wan' a bunny," Ginny mumbled in her sleep.

"But they are so fluffy and cute, are you sure?"

"I got Arnold."

Hermione started giggling and pulled Arnold out of his small bed, placing him by Ginny's ear. Arnold started snuggling in her ear and wandered around on her face. Hermione watched as Ginny mumbled in her sleep and wiggled her nose. She started laughing more when Ginny finally reached up and felt the furry little puff on her face.

"Huh, Arnold, how did you get out of your box?" Ginny wondered, slowly opening her eyes and petting the puff. Suddenly she registered someone laughing and sleepily looked around. Spotting Hermione, Ginny scowled, "You put Arnold on me? Why are we even awake right now?"

"I can't sleep anymore, and I don't want to go eat breakfast by myself, come on, let's get an early start."

"Ugh, the things I put up with!" Ginny groaned.

Hermione laughed some more and tossed Ginny her school clothes, urging her to get up. As Ginny made her way to the bathrooms to shower, Hermione finished gathering her school supplies and went to the Common Room to wait. She pulled out her Potions essay and looked it over one last time for mistakes- she was glad that Professor Slughorn was teaching Potions this year, he was much more friendly. Although now Snape was in charge of Defense of the Dark Arts, she wasn't sure how she felt about that... When Ginny finally emerged from upstairs, Hermione put her homework away and they went down to breakfast. Ginny hated waking up early but she did enjoy the earlier hours of breakfast, it was much quieter and more peaceful. The girls were able to discuss some topics that Harry and Ron didn't enjoy listening to. Or sometimes, like today, Ginny was asking for advice about classes and Harry.

"I'm really not sure why Harry hasn't said anything to you, I mean, I see the way he looks at you, he's impressed by you. But he might still be seeing you as Ron's little sister… he probably doesn't want to make Ron mad you know?"

"Why would Ron care? I mean Harry is his best friend right?" Ginny questioned.

"Boys are weird that way sometimes… But, at least Harry is being considerate of his friend's feelings. Ron is very protective of you, look what happened when you were dating Michael Corner? And when you were dating Dean earlier this year, he wasn't too happy… you guys went through a rough patch…"

Ginny groaned and laid her head on the table, Hermione was right, Harry must be afraid of upsetting Ron, but instead she was the one being hurt by his inaction! Even though she had dated other boys, she was always hopefully Harry would come around, and it seemed like Ron might ruin it.

"Ron may or may not react badly, but I guess Harry is afraid to take the chance, it might be up to you to start something, either by talking to your brother, or by talking to Harry," Hermione advised her.

The pair quickly moved on to safer topics as they saw more Gryffindors, including Harry and Ron, enter the Hall to eat. As all of them were eating, they looked up automatically when the owls came in with the post. As they flew around, one swooped down and landed in front of Hermione. She gave the owl some toast and picked up the letter.

_Princess,_   
_Just hoping that you might sit with me in Potions today?_   
_I'm sure your two friends would be willing to give you up for one period right?_   
_Yours,_   
_Draco_

Hermione smiled and looked for Draco, giving him a nod, eyes shining. They shared a few classes together but they only really sat together in Arithmacy and Ancient Runes. It would be interesting to see how her friends took being separated from her, although, it's not like they needed her help anyways… Harry had his Potions book. Seriously, why did Harry choose to trust the edits, it was just so suspicious… Hermione was excited at the prospect of Potions with Draco, it was one of his best subjects, when he was trying. And now that they were dating, she knew he wasn't going to be whispering snide remarks the whole time. She hummed on her way to their first class, in a great mood! Her good mood lasted all day, she was still humming as the trio finally made their way to Potions that afternoon.

Ron and Harry were too preoccupied to notice her good mood, but as the trio entered the dungeons, they looked up when Hermione didn't take her regular spot in between them. Instead they watched as she took her seat next to Malfoy, Zabini sitting on her other side. Ron started to growl, face turning a deep shade of red. Harry was tempted to march over there and drag her away but decided against it; if Hermione started studying with the ferret, then maybe she'd overhear something pertaining to his 'mission.' Besides, they had been fighting a lot over the use of his potions book so maybe a small break was for the best. But did she really have to sit with Malfoy? If she wanted a break, she could have easily sat with Ernie or Padma… Harry looked to the door, along with the rest of the class, when they heard a loud choking noise, Pansy standing in the doorway.

Draco couldn't help but give her a nasty smirk when he saw her there, mouth hanging open. She was glaring at Hermione and if looks could kill… but then she straightened back and there was a triumphant gleam in her eyes. He scowled at her as she walked by and took a seat next to Theo at the desk behind theirs. Draco caught Blaise's eye, with Pansy behind them it would be all too easy for her to slip something into Hermione's potion… he hadn't quite thought of that… Professor Slughorn came in and started telling the class about their lesson, today they'd be making the Volubilis potion, with Hermione's hand shooting in the air to answer what it was.

"Yes Miss Granger, since no one else will venture a guess," Professor Slughorn smiled. He liked to give the other students a chance to answer before calling on her. It was rare that anyone else raised their hands though.

"The Volubilis Potion is a potion that changes the drinker's voice. It is most often used as a restorative potion to those who have lost their voice or whom have had the Silencing Charm cast on them."

"Yes, very good Miss Granger, 10 points to Gryffindor, now everyone begin. At the end of the class, you and your tablemates will be casting a Silencing Charm on each other and seeing if you've correctly made your potion, get to work."

Draco's eyes widened as he heard this, Pansy giggling behind him, she must have known what they would be brewing today. Otherwise she wouldn't have brought in Angel's Trumpet to try and poison Hermione. Beside him, he saw his girlfriend open up her book and start gathering the necessary ingredients; she was completely ignorant of the danger she was in. Blaise leaned over to look at Hermione's book, saying he never brought his own, and started in on his own potion. Draco sighed inwardly and started too, he couldn't afford to fail any more assignments. He'd just have to wait for Millicent to come in and make a plan when it counted…

Hermione was humming as she worked, focusing on her potion, it was nice to have a break from the bickering about that blasted book. She didn't even mind sharing with Zabini, he seemed polite enough; when she looked over at Draco, she smiled, happy to see him working at a good pace. "Don't forget to add the Stewed Mandrake before the Syrup of Hellbore," Hermione gently reminded him, seeing him reach for the Hellbore.

"Oh, right thanks, that might have ended badly for me," he chuckled, dropping the Mandrake in the potion. It was hard to pay attention to his potion when he was on pins and needles, waiting for the door to open… But Hermione was watching out for him, and the thought made him smile briefly.

Hermione nodded her head and went back to her cauldron, glad that he hadn't minded her correction. She was so used to working with the boys, she hadn't thought about if he'd bristle over it… Luckily Zabini hadn't needed any hints either, she wouldn't have been able to help herself from commenting and he was sure to get irritated…

Class was coming to a close, they should be done with their potions soon, any minute now Millicent would be coming in and distracting Professor Slughorn. He had been wandering between the desks as they toiled away, keeping an eye on everyone's progress; he seemed slightly surprised to see Draco doing his work so efficiently today but made no comment. Just as Professor Slughorn was telling everyone to finish up and prepare to test their potions, Millicent burst through the door.

"Sorry for interrupting Professor but um, I-I was told to come down here and see if you had any spare Murtlap Essence, there was a bit of a mishap in Transfiguration."

"Not too serious then, if no one is heading to the Hospital Wing?" Slughorn asked, heading to his storeroom.

"No, just some nasty scrapes, but Professor McGonagall, ran out of her own supply and needs some more," Millicent told him, looking over at Pansy nervously.

Hermione had, like everyone else, looked away from her potion when the door had opened, and Draco hadn't acted fast enough before Pansy upended her jar of Angel's Trumpet into Hermione's cauldron.

Pansy, who had been expecting Millicent, had already snuck up behind Draco, standing in place, just waiting for the door to open. She grinned when Draco glared at her, and quickly went back to her seat, the Mudblood completely unaware; for all her supposed talent, she really wasn't very observant.

Draco watched as the Angel's Trumpet dissolved into the potion, unsure of what he should do. He didn't want to frighten Hermione by telling her that his fellow Slytherin was trying to kill her… Looking at Blaise, Draco was rapidly thinking of how to fix this. Blaise narrowed his eyes, figuring that Pansy had been successful and was thinking of away to spill Hermione's cauldron when Professor Slughorn spoke up.

"Alright students, everyone pour some of your potions in a vial and get ready to test it."

Hermione scooped up her potion and looked at her tablemates, waiting for them to do the same. She noticed their wide eyes as they glanced at each other over her head but before she could question them, Draco spoke up.

"Hey Hermione, you have faith in me right?" Draco asked, as he scooped up some of his own completed potion.

"Well of course I do, why?"

Blaise watched, unsure what Draco had planned, still ready to knock the vial out of Hermione's hand. He had his own vial ready, wondering if he could make a swap while Hermione wasn't looking, was that what Draco wanted him to try?

"Well, as my newfound efforts to stay a good student, would you try my potion, and I'll try yours?"

Hermione smiled at him, he wanted to show her that he was still a capable student. She nodded in agreement, she had watched him brew the potion and knew it was done right. And he had to know that her own potion was completely safe, so she handed over her vial, and grabbed Draco's. She had complete faith in him.

Draco visibly relaxed when Hermione agreed, at least now she wouldn't be poisoned, he could think about the consequences for himself later. When he looked over at Blaise, he saw the slight shake of his head and worried look in his eyes. Before either of them said anything, Hermione asked a question.

"So I guess Blaise can go first?"

When Blaise nodded his head mutely, she raised her wand and cast the spell. He quickly knocked back the vial and waited a moment before opening his mouth and asking if it worked.

"Ah, congratulations Mr. Zabini, full points!" Professor Slughorn called out, watching the students drinking their potions.

Okay, me next," Hermione smiled, waiting for Draco to cast the spell on her.

" _Silencio_."

Hermione laughed, silently, before raising her vial and drinking the potion. "Ta da," she called out, smiled at Draco. Draco barely heard Professor Slughorn congratulate him on his potion, granting him full marks. Then Hermione raised her wand and silenced Draco, waiting for him to drink the potion. Draco took a deep breath, raising the vial to his lips, preparing himself to drink it-

"NO!"


	13. Scathing Remarks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aftermath of the Potions incident, and then the group tries to get a little studying in... tries...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Edit 2-29-16: Not sure how I feel about the fight between Draco and Ron... I feel like if Hermione didn't really have a crush on Ron, that Ron also wouldn't have looked at her as more than a friend... but I had no idea on how to change it soooo it is what it is XD

Everyone turned around as Pansy practically leapt over her table and knocked the vial out of Draco's hands. Pansy was worried when she saw them switch vials, there was no way that he knew what she had added to the Mudblood's potion. He couldn't know what kind of risk he was taking… she was hoping that he would fumble it, knowing that it was tampered with and unsafe to drink. But he was actually going to drink it? He was going to risk his life for hers? Something was going on here, and she was going to figure out why he hadn't just let her drink it.

"Is there something you want to share with us Miss Parkinson?" Professor Slughorn asked, eyebrows raised.

"Umm, I-I could have swore I didn't see her add the Syrup of Hellbore to her potion, and I don't want Drackie to drink it," Pansy stammered out as an excuse.

"Well you should have been watching your own potion more carefully than Miss Granger's, I can tell you added too much Honeywater, your voice is a bit higher pitched than normal. I saw Miss Granger add the Hellbore, I was walking by when she did. Her potion looked completely presentable to me, but since we've already emptied the cauldrons we can't test hers."

Hermione threw a dirty look at Pansy- she was trying to say her potion was subpar! Sometimes she wondered why some Slytherins spent so much energy on her. She just sighed and pointed her wand at Draco, " _Finite Incantatem_."

Draco cleared his throat, glaring at Pansy; she had caused a scene in front of the entire class! But at least she stopped him from drinking the poison… He hadn't really thought about her stopping him when he proposed the switch but now it seemed obvious that she would.

"Class is dismissed, Miss Parkinson, stay after class for a moment, I wish to speak with you."

Everyone cleaned up their supplies and left the class, Draco throwing his arm over Hermione as they excited; sharing a relieved glance with Blaise.

"Ugh, I know Pansy doesn't like me but I mean really? Destroying my potion like that," Hermione raged as they made their way to lunch.

"She's just jealous of your relationship," Blaise commented, giving Draco a knowing look.

Draco squeezed Hermione's shoulder as he looked over at Blaise. What was that look for? Was he being supportive of his fake cause, or did he realize how serious he was about her? He shrugged, Blaise would bring it up later and he'd deal with it then, for now he was going to eat lunch with the Gryffindors. Blaise hesitated, wondering if he should follow Draco, he wanted to talk with him about this relationship. But instead he decided to sit at the Slytherin table, he didn't need to make any waves right now, besides he had to keep an eye on the girls.

Hermione led Draco to their usual spot, Ginny sitting across from them once more and Neville sitting beside the Slytherin. Harry sat beside Ginny and Ron sat on the other side of Hermione; both ignoring the blond interloper.

"Hey Loki, are you down to study tonight? I have a lot of Transfiguration homework and I think I'm going to need Hermione's help," Ginny asked, ignoring Harry's disgusted look.

"Sure Red, I'm down," Draco assured her. That meant he got to spend more time with Hermione, and Ginny, she was turning out to be pretty cool. Plus he had some work that he needed to do, tomorrow was another Prefect meeting and that was going to take up an hour of his evening. But at least he'd figure out his new patrol schedule, and then he and Hermione would have at least one night a week to figure out his predicament. Then in a few weeks they could test it over the Easter holidays; but if they did get it working, that meant Headmaster Dumbledore would be dying.

Hermione saw Draco's face pale all of a sudden; she reached over and squeezed his hand. When he looked up at her, she saw fear in his eyes, it tore her heart in two. He looked over her shoulder and Hermione followed his gaze. Up at the Head Table, she saw Professor Dumbledore talking with Professor McGonagall, his blue eyes twinkling. Turning back to look at Draco, she squeezed his hand again, pulling his attention back to her. She cupped his cheek and leaned over to kiss him, trying to ease his thoughts. Feeling him relax against her lips, she smiled knowing that she had this affect on him.

They were interrupted by a coughing fit, Ron spazzing out next to her, Harry's face turned away from them. Hermione sighed, Ron was allowed to snog Lavender grossly in front of everyone yet he freaked out over a small kiss. Draco just laughed at their reaction, if only they had been there to witness their first kiss. He leaned over and started nibbling on her ear, making her giggle uncontrollably; Ron suddenly standing up and moving further down the table. Hermione lightly slapped his chest, blushing like mad at his brazen actions; Draco couldn't help but smirk triumphantly at Weasley, his buttons were way too easy to push.

The couple kissed once more before parting after lunch, each heading to different classes. Ron was still fuming at the spectacle from lunch and walked ahead of her and Harry.

"Hermione, must you do that?"

"What? Ron does it in front of us, much more than what Draco and I did- it's gross. I've had to put up with his actions, so he can deal with mine!"

"But Hermione… Malfoy?" Harry tried once again.

"We're not discussing this anymore, I'm dating him and I'm allowed to kiss him, get over it. Or at least stop making me feel bad about it, I lo-really care for him, you just don't understand," Hermione admonished, blushing at what she almost admitted to Harry.

Harry shrugged his shoulders in defeat as they headed into Charms; he silently vowed that he'd convince Hermione of how evil Malfoy really was. He started to concoct a plan, he was there when the ferret was discussing his Dark Mark, so all he had to do was find a way to show it to Hermione, then she'd believe him. Unfortunately, the Slytherin had been wearing long sleeves all year, even in warm weather; obviously he was trying to make sure none of the other students became aware of it.

The rest of their classes passed without incident, Ron was still ignoring her though. Hermione made her way to dinner with her bags, not waiting for Harry or Ron to drop theirs off. She sat next to Ginny, who was sitting at the table reading her Transfiguration book, and sighed.

"Did Ron act this way with you all the time when you were dating Dean?"

"Oh yea, it was bad, he felt like I could really do better, but at the same time, Dean was one of his mates you know? It's like he didn't even consider anyone's feelings when he'd rant about it. I know he's an older brother but he needs to calm down. Even the twins weren't this bad."

"Yea, I don't think he's going to talk to me much unless I agree to stop dating Draco."

"Don't do that, Ron needs to learn that he can't have everything his way," Ginny stated. "I really do think the two of you are good for each other."

"Yea- thanks! He's just going to have to get over it. Have you thought about talking to Ron, you know, about Harry?"

"No, I'm not sure what to say, I might just talk to Harry, and then let Harry deal with him," Ginny giggled.

The pair quieted down, moving onto the topic of homework when the others joined them finally. Ginny, trying to offer an olive branch, asked them if they'd want to come study in the library with her and Hermione.

"Why don't we just study in the Common Room then?" Ron asked.

"Because, Loki is coming too, duh, and I doubt you want him there, he's not a Gryffindor after all," Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Who the hell is Loki? I've never met him!" Ron hollered.

"Well then, come to the library with us, you can meet him there," Ginny said sweetly, an evil grin on her face. Seriously… how had he not heard her earlier at lunch? Wow he must be really adamant about ignoring all things concerning the Slytherin.

Hermione poked Ginny in the ribs, what was she thinking by inviting them? This wasn't going to end well. The group quickly ate dinner, really needing to study, Ron and Harry heading back up to the Common Room to pick up their bags. As they walked away, Hermione could hear Ron mumbling about Ginny needing to slow it down with the guys. Ginny snickered at the comment, she could have been in a committed relationship and he'd still say something like that.

"Gin, you know this is going to get ugly," Hermione chided.

"It's not _my_ fault that he doesn't pay attention, really he should have known who we were talking about. I mean, he was there at lunch yea? Just goes to show how much he pays attention."

"What are you too chattering about over there, this is the library, shh," Draco teased, raising a finger to his lips.

"Better prepare yourself, Gin here inviting Harry and Ron to come study with us," she warned.

"This outta be fun then!"

Ginny and Hermione shook their heads as they sat down with Draco, pulling out their books.

"Ugh, I really need to focus on my Transfiguration, I'm not looking forward to that O.W.L.," Ginny complained.

"Eh, you'll be fine Red," Draco assured her, he was awarded a grateful smile from the younger girl.

The group quickly fell into an easy pattern, Hermione dividing her time between helping Ginny with Transfiguration and Draco with Ancient Runes. Before long Harry and Ron came trudging into the library, packs hanging off their shoulders. Ron stopped cold when he saw who was at the table, mouth falling open as he pointed at the group. Harry stomped over to the table and sat next to Ginny, pulling her chair closer to him, Ginny's face turning red.

"Ron, no yelling, this is the library, come sit down so we can study," Hermione called out.

Ron mutely came to the table, looking between his sister and his friend.

"Ron, meet Loki, Loki, my brother Ron," Ginny introduced them.

"I know bloody well who this is, it's Malfoy."

"Well, I came up with a nickname for him, now sit and be friendly, help me study for my O.W.L.'s."

Ron sat on the other side of Ginny, facing the Slytherin, "Why are you here Malfoy, I thought you'd just have your father pay for you to pass all your classes? Oh wait, he's unavailable isn't he?" Ron snarled nastily.

Hermione's eyes went wide, how could Ron say something like that when Draco had been trying to get along. Ginny stood up and was about to yell at her brother when Harry pulled her back down into her seat. Draco just leaned back, hands behind his neck, and his face a mask of indifference; Hermione could see the anger and pain in his eyes though.

"Well Weasley, why would I need to pay when my brain works well enough, I am 2nd in our year. Although it appears that you have neither, no wonder you aren't doing so hot," Draco threw back, watching as the other boy turned red.

"Watch your mouth Malfoy," Harry hissed.

"Well you see Potter, as far as I'm concerned, Weasley here forgot who he was dealing with. Just because I haven't thrown any scathing remarks your way doesn't mean I've forgotten how. If he's not careful, he'll be redder than his hair."

"Malfoy, you're so full of yourself, just do us all a favor and get arrested like your dad, the Dementors would love to have you I'm sure."

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you, just because you're too poor to pay attention, doesn't mean I am. I know a beautiful witch when I see one and I'm not going to pass up a chance with her. You snooze, you lose."

"Stop talking about my family like that, you arrogant self-centered prick."

"I wasn't talking about your family, I was talking about you. And I wasn't talking about money either; you are severely lacking in perception and brains or you would have seen what was right in front of you," Draco jeered.

Ron's anger disappeared and was replaced by a confused look; he glanced between Hermione and Harry, wondering if they knew what he was talking about. Why was Malfoy being obtuse? Hermione just looked at Draco, realizing just how much attention he gave her as they were growing up. He had confessed to wanting to get to know her all these years but she hadn't realized how strong his feelings were until just now. Clearly he had been watching her from afar for awhile now, learning a lot about her over the years.

"Come on Ron, let's just go study at a different table, we already came all the way down here, come on Ginny."

Ginny looked over at Harry, surprised by the invitation, only to see him glaring at Draco. She shook her head, she wasn't going to sit with Harry if he was treating her like a child that needed protecting. Turning her attention back to her book, she felt the tears threatening to spill; why couldn't he invite her because he wanted her company? Instead he was inviting her because he felt Draco was dangerous and she couldn't fend for herself, it was insulting. Harry waited a few moments before realizing Ginny wasn't going to join him; Ginny looked up as he shook his head, disappointed. Her eyes narrowed, she was tired of Harry's attitude, he was their hope for a brighter future so he could at least try to be a bit brighter than her idiot brother.


	14. Dealing With a Problem

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Troubles arise as Harry and Ron continue to butt heads with Draco, Hermione and Ginny are caught in the middle. Pansy also gets a talking to, much to her dismay.

"Hey Loki, you're good with Potions right?" Ginny asked.

"Yea, of course, it's one of my favorite subjects," he responded, looking up at Ginny.

"Could you help me with this essay we're supposed to write for Slughorn, it's about the uses of Moonstone and why it is such an integral part of the Draught of Peace."

Draco smiled, "Heh, last year we actually had to brew that potion, be glad you only have to write about it. I'd be happy to help ya Red."

Hermione snuck a glance at Harry, "Harry was also assigned a twelve inch essay by Snape that year on the properties of Moonstone."

Ginny turned her hardened eyes to Hermione, and she instantly understood- Ginny remembered all of this and was purposely trying to anger Harry. Hermione could see Harry clenching his fist at the neighboring table, Gin had succeeded in making him angry but what was she going to do now? Hermione kept an eye on her two friends, making sure they didn't suddenly cause a problem and slowly finished her homework. Occasionally someone asked her a question, which she was happy to answer, and before too long, they were done with their work.

"Wow, I never knew a night of some serious studying would make me feel better, I've been hanging out with you too much Princess," Draco teased, nudging Hermione.

"Are you all caught up now?"

"I think so yea, is this how you feel all the time?"

"Yup, it's a great feeling knowing you get work done ahead of time, then you have all this time when other people are doing homework," Hermione explained.

"But it's nice to joke around and stuff, then time passes and you just happened to procrastinate," Ginny chimed in.

"Yea, but if you do your homework first, then you won't have all the last minute pressure to get it done, makes life a lot more relaxing," Hermione told her as they made their way to the Common Room, leaving the other two in the library.

"Yea, good point, but I just take after Fred and George, I don't like studying. Friends and jokes are more fun. And Quidditch."

"I'll agree with Red there, Quidditch is fun, too bad I didn't have time this year."

Ginny glanced over at the blond, he really seemed to miss flying, why did he not have time for it? She knew better than to ask though, it seemed like a touchy subject. Instead she asked a different question, "So do you guys want to help me study for my O.W.L.'s some more?"

"I'd be happy to Gin, you know that, I'm not sure when though, we have the Prefect's meeting tomorrow and that's when we'll get our new patrol schedule, so I'll let you know after that yea?"

"Sounds good, I really want to impress mum with my O.W.L.'s, even if I don't like studying."

"Just make sure to get more than your brother, that'd make my year," Draco confided with a wink.

"Speaking of my brother, I'm sorry for what he said earlier, that wasn't right. I mean, I know you guys have had a lot of issues in the past but if Mione trusts you, I do too," Ginny told him with a bright smile.

Draco looked at her a moment before nodding his head, her assurance meant more to him than he would have thought. "Thanks Red, I appreciate that."

Hermione draped an arm around each of them, grinning happily, and they all started laughing. The rest of the trip up to the tower consisted of lighter conversation, the older pair telling Ginny about their O.W.L. experiences. Ginny bid Draco a goodnight before leaving the couple alone on the landing, happy to give them space.

"Thanks for staying in the library tonight, and not exploding at Ron, for what he said."

"It was hard, but I wasn't going to let him see me mad, and besides, my Father made a few bad choices and he has ended up where he is. Although that doesn't give Weasley the right to comment about it… Thanks for not holding my family against me Hermione."

"Of course not, that's just not the kind of person I am. Be careful on the way to the dungeons, you might run into Ron and Harry," she warned, hugging Draco.

Draco just chuckled as he lifted Hermione's chin, pulling her closer to him as he kissed her. Hermione wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss- she missed these kisses. After a few moments, they pulled away from each other, breathless, a flush to their cheeks. Draco was rubbing his girlfriend's sides, happy to have this witch in his arms when they heard footsteps on the stairs, a voice carrying up to them.

"I can't understand them, how could they fall for that ferret's act so easily?"

"I don't know Ron, something really seems off about this whole thing, I mean why did Ginny choose to sit with him and not us?"

Hermione felt tears in her eyes at their words, they didn't understand anything; she nuzzled her face into Draco's chest, arms wrapped around him. She could feel Draco rub his cheek against her hair, comforting her, holding her tight. When the boys came to the landing and saw the couple in front of them, they paused.

"Come on Ron, let's go play a game of chess," Harry suggested, pulling his friend into the Common Room. Harry really wanted to be on good terms with Hermione but she was making it hard- just because she was spying on the snake didn't mean she had to act so cuddly! He hadn't realized they had heard the last of their conversation.

"I swear, those two will never grow up and it infuriates me to no end!" Hermione mumbled from Draco's chest.

"They're your best friends, they'll have to come around won't they?"

"Hopefully."

Draco kissed the young witch's forehead, catching the scent of her hair again. He couldn't get over how wonderful her hair smelled, each time he hugged her; he loved running his hands through those curls as well.

"I'll see you at the Prefect meeting, I'm not sure if I'll be able to meet you for lunch, I have some things to go over with Blaise."

"That's alright, I don't want to take up all of your time you know, you can have your own time with your friends."

"Yea I know, good night Hermione."

"Goodnight Draco," Hermione reciprocated, giving him one last squeeze.

He watched as she entered the Portrait door, smiling to himself, before heading back down the stairs and to the dungeons.

*In the Dungeons*

"Hey Draco," Blaise called out as soon as he saw his friend enter the Common Room. He waited until he was sitting on the couch to continue his conversation. "So Pans was pretty mad that you decided to ruin her fun with Granger; she was ranting about it all through lunch… she got some of the other Slytherins were questioning your actions now too. So I guess you'll have to face the music eventually."

"That's easy. If I had let her drink the poison, everyone would have thought that I was somehow responsible and tricked her. Then I probably would have been expelled for trying to kill a student, since I'm not so much of a dick that I'd let Pans take the blame. I'd rather not get kicked out when I still have work to do here."

"That sounds good enough," Blasie told him, looking around to make sure they were alone, "But you don't have to convince me ya know. I'm not going to judge you about what's going on."

"I had a feeling," Draco admitted, not even bothering to lie to his friend.

"I think Pans suspects as well, especially after what happened in Potions. I asked her if she had been trying to kill the girl and she just laughed. I'm not sure if she really was or not, she can't really be that dumb, I know we harp on her a lot but… she is in Advanced Potions after all, she had to know what Angel's Trumpet would do, especially in that amount."

Draco was about to respond when a group of Slytherins came into the room, talking loudly. The conversation cut short when Pansy spotted Draco.

"Oh Drackie, there you are, I've been wanting to talk to you!" Pansy called out, coming up to the couch and sitting on his lap; she pointedly ignored Draco's scowl as he tried to push her off of his lap. "I want to know why you traded Potions with the Mudblood! She would have gotten what she deserved, it's not like you actually care for her right?" Pansy continued, ignoring his attempts to get rid of her.

Draco's eyes narrowed at her words, "So you admit you were trying to kill her Pans? Because let me tell you just how stupid of an idea that was. You know how suspicious everyone is of me when it comes to Potter and his gang, so how do you think it would have looked if she drank some poison and died, when I was sitting at the same table?" He stood up, knocking the girl onto the floor in his rage, "You don't think things through Pans! If I had let her drink that potion, more than likely I would have been kicked out of Hogwarts for endangering the brightest witch in our year. I mean, I could tell the truth and say it was you that did it, but then, I'm sure the Dark Lord would have had a few choice words to say to you."

Pansy paled at those words, the Dark Lord would have been furious if Draco got into any trouble that would prevent him from completing his mission. And if she let him take the blame, Draco would surely be punished for ruining his own chances just for one Mudblood, no matter how smart she was. Pansy stood up suddenly, tears in her eyes.

"Draco, I'm so sorry, you're right I didn't think. I just wanted her to pay for thinking she has a chance with a Pure-blood like you. I won't do anything like that again, I promise. I'll do anything to help you stay out of trouble, please forgive me," she pleaded, wrapping her arms around him.

Draco grudgingly returned her hug, he was still angry at her for trying to kill his girlfriend but he had to assure everyone he was still on their side for now. "As long as you promise you won't do anything like that again. This is why I told everyone not to try anything when it came to her… because everyone would point fingers at me. I can't afford too much attention right now or all my plans would be for naught. I know that you loathe her Pans, but thank you, for promising not to do anything like that anymore."

Pansy wiped her eyes and looked up at the blonde, "You're always looking out for me Drackie, thank you."

Draco glowered at the continued use of that name as he sat back down next to Blaise. He was starting to get a headache from dealing with Pansy… at least she promised not to do anything stupid. Despite everything, she was loyal to him; she would do anything to keep him safe. He waited until Pansy and a few of the other girls went and sat by the fire, far enough away that he and Blaise could continue talking.

"Nice performance, I think that just saved your ass from everyone's suspicions. No wonder you're in Slytherin," Blaise praised.

Draco just chuckled at his friend before asking a question, "So do you think Pansy will actually stop messing with her now? Or do you think she'll come up with some other plan?"

"Well, she didn't really say anything about having a backup plan earlier- I think she was too mad at you to come up with anything else. Although, I'm sure she's still going to make Granger's life hell whenever she can… she _probably_ won't try to poison her at least. Or do any serious harm, although Madam Pomfrey can heal a lot of conditions…" Blaise trailed off. With the Medi-witch at the school, there was still a lot Pansy could try to do to Hermione and get away with. As long as it wasn't too serious, the nurse could fix her. And Pansy knew it.

Draco sighed, his hands were going to be full if he had to keep Pansy away from his girlfriend; he looked at his friend, silently asking for help. Blaise snickered at the blonde's face before reassuring him that he'd be happy to keep an eye and ear out. He admitted that he kinda liked Granger, she may be a know-it-all but really, she was charming when she wasn't mad at you. Plus she always managed to give Draco a run for his money, and didn't back down from a fight. She was the perfect challenge for his friend.

*Gryffindor Common Room*

Hermione walked into the Common Room and sat next to her friends, trying to judge who was winning.

"Come on Harry, your move,"

"I know, I'm thinking- don't rush me!"

Hermione laughed at them, they loved to play chess, and as much as people said it was an intellectual game she just didn't have a knack for it. Harry only lasted a few more moves before Ron declared victory, shaking Harry's hand.

"So, Mione, what was with the library tonight? Going to start studying with the snake instead of us?" the redhead asked.

"Well, if you knew how to be civil Ronald, we could all study together," Hermione stated, glaring at him.

"But Hermione, what about at lunch? I mean, I know I asked if you could spy on him for me, but I didn't expect you to get that close," Harry chimed in, sour look on his face.

For a moment, she just sat there, mouth agape and eyes wide, did he really just say that? She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths, trying to calm herself; her friends were so irritating lately, were they so close-minded? Opening her eyes, she looked at her two closest friends, not knowing what to say to them. Instead she just shook her head and went up to her bed, not even bothering to yell at them this time. As the Gryffindor flopped onto her bed, she willed herself not to cry… here her friends wanted to believe that Draco was some evil person. They were wrong about him, he was just a child who was trying to protect his family from the Dark Lord… the only way he knew how. But if they knew what Draco had to do, what she was helping him do, she was sure they wouldn't be her friends anymore. And that thought made her depressed. As she fell asleep, she told herself that she was going to have to speak with the Headmaster about the problem.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've received comments about this story on my FF page, so I want to explain myself just a little bit. I want my readers to keep in mind that this story is mostly from Hermione's and Draco's point of view, and occasionally Ginny and others. I don't intend for this story to seem like Ron bashing, that's not my intent- I don't hate Ron as a character. I'm just trying to keep it realistic (from my own personal viewpoint) that Hermione IS a hormonal 16/17 year old teenager! She gets her feelings hurt and she resents that! So she will be mad at Harry and Ron a lot. Especially since she knows what's really going on with Draco and they don't. And she can't tell them anything yet.  
> So it is going to be hard on her, and them. But it all does start to work out in the coming chapters. Ron does have his head up his butt, but really, to me, it's just kinda the way he is. He gets mad easily, that's a fact, and he grew up with 5 older brothers, of course he doesn't understand girls! And Draco has been a massive thorn in his side for ages, so really his anger isn't for nothing. So yes, there is going to be arguing and petty comments b.c to me, that's life, especially when friends don't agree on things. Especially when it comes to ppl's love lives and sworn enemies!  
> But please please please remember that this isn't about bashing Ron, or Harry. It's just from Hermione's point of view and she is allowed to be mad! It's something you didn't really get to see in the books or movies, and I think it deserves more attention. Obviously the books had more going on than the feelings of a teenage girl, and that's the point of fanfiction, to explore other avenues. I just wanted to take a moment to explain, like I did on my other page since people didn't understand what I was trying to do. Thank you for taking the time to read my story and my explanation, hope you are enjoying it!


	15. Making Nice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione gets through another day of classes, preparing for the Prefect meeting. She finds unexpected support from Neville and that's just what she needs to get through the day. Draco learns something surprising when he talks with the Head Boy

*Wednesday Morning*

Hermione knew she looked terrible… she had spent most of the night crying, saddened by the idea of her friends abandoning her. She quickly got dressed and pulled her hair into a bun, wanting to get down to breakfast before anyone else from her House. She was sitting with her head in her hands when she felt someone sit next to her at the table. Not wanting to talk, she chose to ignore them, not lifting her head or saying hi. Hopefully they'd get the picture and leave her alone. Luck wasn't on her side, instead she heard Neville speak up from her left.

"Hey Hermione, I know this probably isn't a good time, and I really don't want to bother you… I just wanted to let you know, I don't trust Malfoy, mostly because he simply hasn't given me a reason to," he started. He could see his friend tense up beside him and quickly went on, "But I can see that you care deeply for him. I have no idea how that happened, or why, but you're my friend and I want the best for you. So I just wanted to say that I won't hound you about it and I've convinced a few of the other Gryffindors to drop the subject too."

Hermione looked up at her friend, surprised at his words, "Neville?"

"I mean it, I want you to be happy and so far, I haven't seen you argue with him… you've spent more time arguing with Ron honestly. So he can't be that bad if you aren't yelling at him right? That being said, me, and all the other Gryffindors won't hesitate to kick his ass, all you need to do is say the word."

She couldn't help but laugh, she knew there'd be a long line of her friends that would kick his ass for her, and not all of them would be Gryffindors. "Thanks Neville, that's just what I needed to hear right now."

He nodded his head and patted her back before turning to his plate. Hermione followed his lead and began stacking food onto her dish, listening to Neville and Dean talk about Herbology. Before long Ginny came and sat by her friend, giving her a quick hug.

"How are you Mione? You kinda look like crap, no offense."

"I look as bad as I'm feeling then. I've been worried about my friendships with Harry and Ron if I keep dating Draco."

"What did they say now?"

With a sigh, Hermione explained to the youngest Weasley what had happened after she had gone up to bed. Ginny shook her head at the boys' reactions- it seemed like they'd never get over the past. She could tell her friend wanted to say more but for some reason Hermione held back; having grown up with 6 older brothers, Ginny learned when someone was hiding things.

"I know there is more going on than you say Mione, so if you ever want, or need, to talk about it, I can keep a secret," Gin offered with a smile.

When Hermione nodded, they both tucked into their breakfast, hoping to finish before the boys arrived; Hermione really didn't want to deal with any more conversation about Draco today. Luck decided to smile on them; it was only as they stood to leave the table that they saw the pair walk in. Gin wrapped her arm in Hermione's and led the two of them out the doors with just a quick wave to Harry and her brother. The boys weren't quite awake yet and didn't seem bothered by the fact that they were being left to eat on their own.

"Hopefully you'll be able to ignore them during class, sit with Parvarti or Neville maybe, I'm sure they'd be happy with your company," Gin suggested.

"Yea, that's a good point- Neville actually told me this morning that he wasn't going to harp on me because of Draco, so I would get a break if I sat with him. I'd sit with Parvarti but then I'd have to sit with Lavender… She's not a bad girl, it's just… I think she's a little jealous of my friendship with Ron, so it might be a little awkward you know?"

"That's a good point, I forgot about that silly girl, she should be more than fine with you now that you have a boyfriend but some people don't grow up," Ginny snickered.

"Really I only have Herbology with them today, then I've got Muggle Studies and after lunch it's Arithmacy. So I'm sure I could sit with Neville and probably Hannah and Ernie in my first class to take off some stress."

The girls giggled as they walked to Hagrid's hut, Ginny had Care of Magical Creatures so Hermione figured she'd say hi to their friend before she had to head to the greenhouses. Hagrid was more than happy to see her, she hadn't been by to talk in ages now that she didn't take his class. Before leaving to head to Herbology, Hermione promised to stop by more often and to bring Harry and Ron with her. She still felt terrible that she hadn't taken his class this year but she knew she wouldn't have been able to manage it with her electives; but Ron and Harry should have, they had fewer classes than her. As she walked into the greenhouse, she spotted Neville talking with Professor Sprout; as they finished up their conversation, Hermione asked if she could sit with him today.

"I'd be more than happy to have you sit with me Hermione," Neville exclaimed with a smile. The two found a place near the front of the greenhouse, by Professor Sprout, and waited for the other students to file in. Luckily Ernie and Hannah made it to the class before either Ron or Harry so they didn't get a chance to talk to her- exactly what Hermione had hoped for. Once the lesson started, everyone had their hands full with the dangerous plants they were working with, Snargaluff plants. Hermione was glad she wasn't next to Ron, he and Harry were having an exceptionally hard time with them. Luckily for her, Neville and Hannah were great at Herbology and they had collected an ample amount of pods before the class was up.

"I'm glad I was with you today Neville, that was a nightmare. Those vines just kept coming!"

"Yea, Snargaluff Pods can be hard to collect if you don't know what you're doing. It's always best to work in groups when it comes to those plants," Neville told her.

Hermione laughed and the group made their way up to the castle for the next class, Hermione was excited for Muggle Studies. Harry often told her that he couldn't understand why she had such an interest in that class- she had lived as a Muggle for most of her life, just like he had. She had given up trying to explain her choice to him; it was enlightening to see how wizards and witches viewed Muggles. Class went by rather quickly, Hermione was already up to date on the homework since this was one of her easier classes. She had asked the Professor for the month's assignments just so she could work on them at her own pace. Of course the teacher conceded, if her best student wanted to get a head start, she wasn't going to deny her.

Before long, the bell rang and everyone made their way to lunch. Having eaten an early breakfast, Hermione was famished, especially after wrestling with the Snargaluffs in Herbology. As she entered the Great Hall, she quickly scanned the table, looking to see who she could sit with. Hermione almost deflated in defeat, Harry and Ron were already sitting at the table, waiting for the food to appear… Before she could get too sad, she felt an arm link with hers.

"Hey Mione, looking for me?" Ginny asked, appearing next to her friend.

"Actually yes I was, I was hoping I wouldn't have to sit with Harry and Ron, I don't want to deal with them until dinner at least…"

"Allow me to help?" Draco whispered from behind them, throwing an arm over each girl and setting his chin on Hermione's shoulder.

Both girls jumped slightly, Draco had a way of sneaking up on them, he was stealthy when he needed to be. Hermione just nodded as she led them over to the Gryffindor table, choosing a spot towards the end with some of the younger students. Draco noticed the dark look Harry threw his way, as well as the glares from the Slytherins across the room. He refused to acknowledge them, he was with Hermione, and together, they'd figure everything out. As he ate, he listened to the two girls chat about lessons and plans for the upcoming weekend. A few times Draco glanced up at Dumbledore, wondering why the old wizard was choosing to die, and why he had to go through with the plan. Hopefully after the Prefect meeting tonight, he'd be able to talk with Hermione about it all. The group enjoyed a quick lunch, heading to their respective classes early. Ginny waved to the pair as she parted from them at the Great Hall, Hermione and Draco walked to Arithmacy together. As the pair sat down, Draco pulled out his quill and some parchment, scribbling something down; he handed it to Hermione, throwing a quick glance over his shoulder. Hermione followed his gaze to the two Ravenclaw students sitting a few rows behind them; they wouldn't be able to talk privately here, too risky.

_I was hoping we'd be able to discuss our 'project' tonight, after the meeting, would that be okay?_

Hermione nodded her head before writing a quick message back, _I was hoping to talk with Dumbledore soon as well. He still needs to fill us in on more of the plan_

Draco read what she wrote, relaxing just a bit. Even if she didn't outwardly appear to be affected by their project, he knew she was always thinking about it and ways to make everything go smoothly. But most of it depended on Snape and the Headmaster, they were the ones who had been preparing for this all year, Dumbledore was more resigned for his death than Draco was. Before he could give it any more thought, the Professor walked in and began their lesson for the day. The rest of the period was spent taking notes and solving complex problems, Draco glad for a distraction.

As the two left the class to drop off their bags, Hermione turned to Draco, "You know, I'm really glad that you sit with me at lunch… it means a lot to me… I just wanted to let you know."

Draco smiled and intertwined his fingers in hers, "Well, I can't let my girlfriend eat all her meals alone now can I? I enjoy sitting with you and Red, even if none of the Gryffindors really want me there. But at least Longbottom has been cordial enough."

"Oh, I forgot to tell you, Neville told me this morning at breakfast, the he supports our relationship… kind of."

"Kind of?" the Slytherin raised a brow, that was an odd statement- how did someone only kind of support a friend?

"Well he said that he doesn't really trust you, since you haven't really given him a reason to, but despite all that he wants me to be happy and he won't bother me about you. From what he can tell, I'm happy with you and you can't be all that bad if I haven't yelled at you yet," she explained with a smile.

"I have seen some of your more passionate speeches… I don't fancy being the target of your wrath any time soon," Draco admitted with a shudder.

Hermione lightly slapped him on his shoulder as she entered the Common Room and ran up the stairs to drop off her bag. As soon as she exited, her and Draco went down to the Dining Hall, ready for dinner, Draco keeping his bag with him. Parting with a kiss, Draco made his way to the Slytherin table, taking his usual spot by Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise.

"How is the whole 'dating' thing going with the Mudblood?" Goyle asked, having seen the kiss.

"Just fine, she's already fully caught me up on my assignments and even encouraged me to talk with some of my professors on extra credit work. I'm sure Mother is going to be very pleased with the turnaround in my schoolwork."

Goyle chuckled, "Glad that she's working out like you planned then."

Draco just nodded and started picking out food for dinner, waiting for his friends to become absorbed in dinner. It only took a few moments, he could see Crabbe and Goyle stuffing their faces, so he knew he wasn't going to be overheard.

"How are things Blaise?"

"Good over here so far, I overheard Pansy talking about finding out when Granger was doing rounds this month, not sure what she might do yet though."

Draco tensed, he had hoped Pansy would leave Hermione alone completely after the other day, but it seemed like old habits die hard sometimes. He turned and looked over at the Hufflepuff table, wondering if Hermione had talked with the Head Girl yet… Just then Adrian Pucey sat across from him and Blaise, interrupting his thoughts.

"Hey mate, I gotta say, I'm a bit surprised… Angela came up to me this morning, telling me about this new idea she has for the Prefect meeting. Turns out, she wants you and Granger to patrol together, as a way of showing inter-House unity and all. So you better be on your best behavior, no more ignoring your duties!"

"Yea, I know. Hermione has encouraged me a lot already. I've even caught up on all my assignments, and if we patrol together, she'll make sure I do my job. I've had a lot on my plate but… she's helping me get back on the right track. I'm surprised you both agreed to it so readily though," Draco admitted.

"Well I'm all for House unity, even if most of our House isn't. I've learned a lot from Angela, even if people don't always think highly of the Hufflepuffs, they really are a great group. I think it would be good for everyone to work together… although it is going to be a task to find other Prefects to work with us I'm sure. But you and Granger will be leading the group so make us proud alright? We'll be announcing it tonight at the meeting, so don't be late."

Draco turned and smiled at Blaise, "Well, now Pansy can't do anything once she hears the news- I'll be the one patrolling with her and not Weasley."

"Oh man, I wish I could be there, I wonder who will react worse, Pans or the redhead," Blaised laughed, looking over at the Gryffindor table.

"That is a tough call, I'll be sure to tell you everything later on tonight," he assured his friend.

Draco felt his body relax as he enjoyed dinner and light conversation with the students around him. Hermione had been successful with talking to the Head Girl, and it seemed they were going to be the poster children for some inter-House unity thing. His Princess sure worked fast, and to top it off, it seemed like she had found a way to make him appear more appealing to the other Houses. Slowly, she was chipping away his old image, showing everyone that people deserved second chances. All too soon dinner was over and Draco found himself waiting near the Great Hall for Hermione to join him. Pansy stood with him, trying to wrap her arms around him, blatantly ignoring his glares.

"See Mione, I told you he was good for nothing, he's still got Parkinson hanging off his arm," he suddenly heard Weasley calling out.

He whipped his head around, glaring at the redhead, a dark look in his eyes; no matter how hard he tried he couldn't catch a break between Pansy and Weasley. Pansy scowled next to him, tightening her grip on his arm, Draco gave up trying to get rid of her. On his other side, he saw Hermione berating Ron for his comment, also trying to shrug off the wizard's protective arm. Together the group awkwardly made their way to the Prefect Meeting Room, Hermione silently grabbing Draco's hand for strength. As they came up to the portrait, Weasley pushed his way in front of the blond, opening the portrait and pushing Hermione in, ignoring Hermione's arguments. Draco quickly followed them inside, refusing to release the witch's hand. Draco took charge, leading his girlfriend towards some open seats near the front, choosing to ignore their two shadows.

Hermione quickly sat down next to Draco, refusing to let Ron bully his way in between them and ignoring Pansy's whispered insults. Beside her, Draco was pulling some more parchment out of his school bag, handing it to Hermione, along with a quill.

"I know you like to take notes, and I didn't want you to have to go grab your bag. Then you'd risk being late- gasp!" he kidded, grinning.

"Thank you," Hermione smiled, he was so thoughtful. Dinner had taken longer than she thought… honestly, she should have just held onto her bag like Draco had… Not that it mattered- he'd come up with a solution!

Ron just rolled his eyes, if Hermione had wanted to take notes, she would have brought her own stuff. But he could see Hermione unrolling the parchment and taking the offered book from Draco's hand. She had just positioned the parchment over the makeshift writing surface when the Head Boy and Girl stood up, calling order.


	16. Prefect Meeting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Angela and Adrian get the meeting started, eventually revealing their new plan of Inter-House Unity. There is an uproar, as is expected. But Hermione has had enough of Ron's attitude, and she does something to surprise everyone.

"Welcome everyone, thanks for coming," Angela started, looking around the room. "Tonight's meeting is going to be a little different than before but we'll start with the less exciting news. As everyone knows Easter break is coming up, Prefects are to encourage everyone in their Houses to sign up if they plan to stay. By next Wednesday, we want to have a completed list of the students that will be staying and of those who will be going home. Of course, the Prefects are encouraged to go home, although we would like to have at least one Prefect per House that can stay to help out with everything."

There was a quiet murmur that passed through the room as everyone agreed to check the lists and talk about which Prefect would get stuck at school. As they quieted down again, Adrian stepped forward to continue the meeting.

"Also, Headmaster Dumbledore told us that he wants to have a late spring dance to celebrate the warming weather, since it had been raining quite a lot this last month. Of course the dance will be taking place in the Great Hall but there will be plenty of decorations on the grounds to celebrate the season. So we're going to need everyone that is interested to step forward and we can start making decoration decisions."

This time there were more squeals from the witches, there was going to be another dance so that meant another reason to get all dressed up and look for dates. Hermione shook her head, she would definitely not be helping with the decorations… that just wasn't her thing and there were plenty of other capable witches around to take her place. The meeting continued, Hermione taking notes of anything important that she didn't want to forget. Finally Adrian took the floor again, it was time to mention the upcoming patrol schedules.

"And now for the final part of the meeting, updating patrol schedules, we are still missing a few schedules from some of the Prefects," he informed them, looking at a few students in particular. "But for the most part we have been able to fit everyone in at a time most convenient for their respective classes and extracurricular activities. There will be a new change for the rest of the year and hopefully the new tradition will continue in the years to follow. I wish we had come up with this idea sooner, but it's better late than never." Adrian paused as he looked around the room, he saw a lot of faces perk up at the news, "From now until the end of the year, we will be encouraging inter-House unity by partnering different Houses together. We want everyone to give us a list of who they would prefer to work with and possibly a list of one or two people you absolutely cannot work with. It is fine if you want to work with someone that isn't in your year, just as long as they aren't in your House. We even have a couple of Prefects ready to spearhead this movement, Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy."

Pansy immediately stood up and began shouting reasons as to why she would never agree to something like this. She wasn't alone, Weasley was arguing just as loudly as the female Slytherin, as well as a few of the other Prefects. Adrian raised his hands for quiet, eyes narrowing as he glanced around the room.

"The decision has already been made and the schedules are being improvised, for the time being, until everyone has submitted a list, Parkinson, Weasley, you'll be-"

"I REFUSE TO WORK WITH HIM!" Pansy screeched, interrupting the Head Boy.

"If you will allow me to finish Miss Parkinson- I was going to say, you two will be following along with one of the other patrols. I would not have you two working together, the castle would be in shambles and both of you would be hospitalized, I'm without a doubt. Weasley I've paired you up with Goldstein and Abbott, Parkinson, you'll be with Macmillan and Greengrass. Get those lists to us as soon as possible if you want to be paired with someone you can work with. The patrol list will be posted over on the board. The new list will up next week and will be used until the end of the year."

There were grumbles as the Prefects looked around at each other, wondering who to pair with and who not to pair with. Hermione squeezed Draco's hand, a huge grin on her face- the Heads had agreed with her idea, now there was nothing Pansy could do. Ron was just sitting silently in his chair, glowering at everyone and Pansy had detached herself from Draco and was in a heated discussion with the Head Boy.

"Come on, let's go see when we're scheduled, the sooner the better right?" Hermione proposed.

"Yea, good idea, then maybe we can make a quick getaway while our two watchdogs are distracted," Draco agreed.

Hermione and Draco slowly made their way through the gathering of Prefects that were crowded around the board. Draco using his height to peer over everyone else's head; scanning the paper quickly, his found his name on Friday evening, the night before the train would be taking everyone home, it would most likely be a quiet night for them, perfect. This meant they had two scheduled nights before break that they could work together and get the cabinets working again. And some time before this… he would need to talk to Dumbledore and Snape about how exactly he was supposed to escape the castle and keep his mother safe. As the Prefects started pulling out quills to write down their schedules and new partners, Draco grabbed Hermione's hand, quickly stuffing her notes and everything back in his bag and pulled her out of the meeting room. With all the questions and arguing going on they slipped out of the room easily, Draco leading them to one of the unused classrooms nearby, locking the door and casting a Silencing Charm. "Well, we're scheduled for Fridays, first evening shift, so that gives us two more nights before break that we can guaranteed work on the project," Draco told Hermione.

"That's good, I've made a list of the spells we discussed the other day that we need to try. We need to test the passage again as well… even if the birds come back as dead, I can probably run some diagnostic spells on them to see what happened to them. I found a few of those as well when I was pouring through books in the library."

Draco stared at her, "Hermione, how did you have time for all of this?"

"I work very efficiently," she disclosed with a smile.

"You're something else, you know that?" he admitted before going back to the subject at hand. "So we start our patrols after curfew until midnight, so at least we won't have to get up early and do the morning patrol. It's easier for me to stay up later than wake up early."

"Yea me too, that must be why they posted us at that time, at least they asked everyone if they prefer the mornings or nights, although it must be hard for the people that are scheduled the in-between shifts."

"When do you think Dumbledore will fill us in on the rest of the plan? I'm getting slightly nervous about this whole thing you know?"

"Me too, I wonder just how Snape is going to know when you've let the Death Eaters in, is he supposed to be informed? Or would it be too risky for his cover? There are just so many things I don't know… And Harry is hounding me to spy on you- he thinks this whole relationship is a ruse so I can get information from you. I think it would be helpful if we could prove to him that you don't have the Mark, but what if Dumbledore doesn't want him to know yet? And what about when they find out I helped you with all this?" Hermione stressed, starting to pace.

"Hey, hey, it will be okay. Dumbledore is the one that asked you to do it- they can't argue with him can they? All they'd need to know is that he asked you to help me and that we couldn't tell anyone about it yet. They may not like the outcome… I'm sure everyone will be confused and angry about it all, but I doubt they'll forsake you. Me on the other hand, I'm sure I'll be hunted down until I can get to the Order and get everything straightened out… Come here Princess," Draco ensured, opening his arms.

Hermione quickly collapsed against him, thankful for his presence. How could they possibly come out of this okay? Sometimes she felt like Dumbledore had too high of expectations of her, of them both… how was she supposed to be okay with a plan that meant Dumbledore had to die? She could feel warm hands rubbing her back, slowly calming her frayed nerves. This was all becoming too much for her right now. Reaching up, Hermione ran her fingers through Draco's hair, looking into his eyes seeking comfort. Her brown eyes met his silver ones, both needing reassurance.

Draco could see the fear in her eyes and he wished he had been able to keep her out of this mess… He wished he was smart enough to handle this on his own, that way he could keep her safe. But at the same time, he knew he needed her, she was his rock now and he couldn't let go of her. If she hadn't stumbled upon him in the bathroom… he'd probably be dead by his birthday. Draco had never allowed himself to need others; he had to be strong enough to stand on his own, that was the way he was raised after all. But when he looked into her eyes, he knew that they needed each other now more than ever. He had allowed himself to care for her, allowed her to bring him into the Light and make him whole. There was no going back- not that he wanted to.

Leaning down, he claimed her lips with a desperate need, pulling her tightly against him. He could hear her whimper, her own desperation matching his. Their tongues met and their hands roamed, exploring each other's body. Draco could feel her small hands exploring the lean muscles of his chest and stomach; his own were grasping her hips, holding her close. He tilted her head and started sucking on her earlobe, Hermione moaning with pleasure.

Draco sighed with contentment, he could do this forever, but just then, they heard Weasley stomping down the corridor, shouting for Hermione.

"Ugh, really Ron, you don't have to come defend my honor," Hermione grumbled under her breath.

"Well, the door is locked, and the room is silenced, he'll probably pass right on by."

"MALFOY WHERE DID YOU TAKE HER?"

"Oh for heaven's sake, he's going to get all my hard earned points deducted!"

Hermione suddenly ran her fingers through Draco's hair to tousle it further, and then grabbed his tie, unlocked the door, and strode into the hallway, pulling Draco with her. Once they were in view of all the students in the area, Hermione tugged on the blonde's tie, drawing him into a passionate kiss. Draco was shocked by her brazen actions, barely managing to react as he got pulled down into the kiss. He reacted naturally, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her body close to his; the crowd around them whistled loudly.

Ron heard the commotion and spun on his heel, spotting the two just as their lips met; before he could do anything, he saw Hermione pull away.

"Come on, we need somewhere better than an empty classroom," She purred, spinning around and walking away, tie still grasped in her hand. Draco followed with a provocative smile on his face, following obediently. As they walked past a very appalled Ron, Draco hugged her from behind and nibbled on her neck, causing Hermione to giggle. Encouraged, he picked her up, bridal style and continued down the hall with her, waiting to feel a hex from Weasley. It never came, the redhead was too surprised to do anything but gape as the couple disappeared around a corner, many of the other students doing the same.

"Well, well, my Hermione is quite the lioness," Draco whispered in her ear. That had been hot and unexpected- who knew Hermione had it in her?!

"What can I say, Ron has gotten on my last nerve, especially with all the snogging he's done in front of me! Maybe now he'll understand how it feels. God that was liberating!" she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"So where did you really want to go?"

"I hadn't really thought that through… you think we'd get in trouble if you came up to the Common Room? I mean, if I don't tell you the password and you don't stay past curfew?"

"I think that's okay, we can ask the Angela or Adrian tomorrow about it. But Astoria , she went into the Ravenclaw Common Room when she was dating that Belby fellow a year ago."

"Well let's go up there for now, and if it turns bad we can just leave. We only have a few hours until curfew anyways so it should be fine."

"It's decided then," he agreed as he put her down.

They held hands as they raced up the stairs, wanting to get there before Ron did. When they got to the portrait, Hermione asked the Fat lady if Draco could come in for a visit. She clearly looked at them like they were up to something but she said she'd allow it, so Hermione whispered the password and the pair climbed in.


	17. Angry Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco might be the first Slytherin to ever see the inside of Gryffindor tower! Things almost end well, but then Harry ends up fighting with Ginny, and Ron is furious with Hermione.

Draco looked around the red and gold room, it was very different from the dungeons, the fire seemed to dominate the room, warming every corner. A quick silence descended as a few of the students noticed who had come in- the green tie attracting everyone's eyes. The Slytherin just offered a quick nod of his head and pulled Hermione towards one of the couches furthest from the fire, reaching up and loosening his tie. Within moments, most of the Gryffindors went back to their business, deciding to ignore the interloper for now… seeing him here was unexpected but they all knew Hermione was a stickler for the rules. So no one wanted to start a fight with two Prefects. Hermione and Draco relaxed as they realized no one was going to hassle them right away. Maybe it helped that none of them had seen their performance a few minutes ago.

Neville watched as Draco got comfortable in his seat, casually throwing his arm over Hermione's shoulders; he could see the joy on her face at the attention. Despite all that Harry had said to convince them that Malfoy was up to no good, his actions didn't seem like a lie. That would be one elaborate ruse for the Slytherin to go through, and he doubted that, if he still really hated Muggle-borns, he'd ever allow Hermione that close to him. Sure, over the years he'd been a huge prat- a thorn in everyone's side, but people were allowed to change. All the needed was a chance, and maybe someone to help them… someone like the curly haired Gryffindor.

Hermione quietly brought up the subject of how they were going to tell his mom about their new relationship. Draco didn't seem worried about her; he explained that she always wanted him to better himself, to find someone that could make him happy. Regardless of his father's views, and the fact that she was raised as a Pure-blood elitist, she was as bigoted as a lot of the other families. Mrs. Malfoy might be surprised at his choice of being with someone who wasn't Pure-blooded, just because of the way his father raised him but he was sure he'd be able to bring her around.

"Do you think she'll want to meet me? What if she doesn't like me?"

"Hey, don't worry about that, I love you remember? That's all that matters. Once Mum sees how much you mean to me, she won't be able to turn you away. She'll be skeptical at first but I promise she'll be okay with it. My father is a different matter though. But at least me and Mum will be protected by the Order, that's all I need; and you of course," he added, kissing her on the cheek.

Hermione blushed, hoping he was right. The thought of meeting Mrs. Malfoy scared her just slightly, she was partially responsible for her husband's incarceration after all… what if she held that against her? But Hermione shook her head, there was no use worrying about it right now. As long as Draco believed in their relationship, she would too. The pair continued to talk about various things, enjoying their quiet corner in the Common Room. It was crazy that no one had approached them and told Draco to leave, nicely or otherwise… it almost felt like they were starting to approve of him. But all too soon, the calm of the room was interrupted again as there was yelling outside. The portrait swung open, Ginny storming inside, followed closely by Harry.

"Ginny will you stop for a moment," Harry demanded.

"Why? If I stand here any longer I'm just going to get angrier with you, I swear, you are worse than Ron!"

"All I did was ask you a question."

"Ask, that's what you call that?! You cornered me in the library and accused me of losing my mind," Ginny recalled, staring daggers at Harry.

"I wanted to know why you were asking Malfoy about _that_ essay for Potions, why that essay of all things?"

Hermione felt Draco tense next to her, here he was in the lion's den and Harry was mad about something concerning him. This was probably going to get ugly…

"And I answered you- he's good at Potions so why wouldn't I ask him for help. He was right there at the table!"

"No, you asked him about it because you knew it would make me mad!"

"Oh?" she said coolly, crossing her arms.

"You knew how much trouble I had last year with that potion, and with Snape. And all of a sudden you're asking the enemy for help. Don't think I didn't realize what you were doing."

"So I was trying to make you mad, you know what I'm doing? You said yourself that you had a hard time with it, Draco didn't. Seems quite obvious who I would have turned to doesn't it?"

Wow, even Draco flinched at that scathing comment… Red didn't know how to pull punches…

With that last remark, Ginny turned away from Harry and marched up to her room, leaving the wizard seething. It seemed stupid really, how asking about a simple Potion would anger him so much, but it did. Ginny knew how much trouble he got into when Snape had been teaching Potions… He wasn't one to let go of things, and to see her ask Draco for help, on a subject he was already touchy about… she'd hit home. If it was so obvious that she had been trying to make him mad, why didn't he understand that she had a reason to upset him? She only did it because he had hurt her feeling in the first place, and he was too ignorant to see that he had done anything wrong. All he had focused on was figuring out was what she had been thinking, not caring that maybe she had a reason to be so mad at him. He knew she did it to make him mad, so why did he keep asking that question. Why didn't he ask _why_ she wanted him mad? Ginny growled in frustration, not wanting to cry. She threw herself on her bed and started punching her pillow.

Draco tried to sink further into the couch, hoping Potter wouldn't see him and that none of the Gryffindors would point him out; the last thing he needed was a confrontation. He focused on his girlfriend instead, fingering her curls and watching the way she bit her lip; she was worried about Ginny. After a few moments, Harry threw a dirty look towards everyone in the room, trying to blame them for his anger. Then he stomped upstairs, completely missing the blond sitting in the corner with the curly haired witch. Thank Merlin!

"I should go check on Gin, but I don't want you heading back to the dungeons just yet, what if you run into Ron?" Hermione whispered.

"I'm not sure, I doubt I could get by without a confrontation, I could be really careful but I'm sure he's out looking for me."

"I can walk with you Malfoy," they heard a voice offer.

The pair looked up to see Neville standing in front of them.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop, I was just coming over to suggest he leave before Harry comes back down here. You know, just to avoid trouble," Neville explained.

Hermione looked over at her boyfriend, Harry would be angry for the rest of the night, although it was almost guaranteed that he'd come back downstairs to wait for Ron.

Draco looked the boy over, "I thank you for the offer Longbottom, but do you really think you could dissuade Weasley from attacking me?" He didn't really want to pit Neville against his friends over this…

"Maybe. I'll do my best to talk him down, and if need be, escort him back here. I'm sure you could make it to the dungeons without me, it's just a precautionary measure. And if things do get ugly, at least you'll have a witness that won't be completely biased," he joked.

Draco chuckled at his comment, Longbottom really seemed to be trying to accept him, if only for Hermione's sake. He knew better than to turn down the offer, besides, he didn't want Red being alone right now, she needed her friend. "Alright Longbottom, I'll take you up on the offer, I appreciate it- really. Night Princess, I'll see you tomorrow," he said, kissing her on the lips and giving her a quick hug.

Hermione walked them both to the portrait, thanking Neville one more time. Hopefully they wouldn't run into Ron on the way, he was sure to be livid. After all, she did imply that they'd be getting personal in front of quite a few students. She was sure to be embarrassed about that in the morning but she was focused on Ginny right now. Quickly she turned and ran up to Ginny's dorm.

Slowly, Hermione opened the door, hearing snarls of frustration and muted punches. She made her way over to the empty bed next to Ginny's, waiting for her friend to calm down. Minutes passed as she watched the upset girl punch her pillow, kick her mattress and stomp around the room, there was nothing to say to her.

"God! Why are boys so, so… stupid?" Ginny growled.

"Because they don't mature as fast as we do," came the simple answer.

"I'm tired of this! Why must Harry be so frustrating? Can't he tell that I've liked him for years?! Instead he's got his head up his arse about Draco. He's so fixated, it's-ugh!"

Hermione casually waved her wand and restored the trashed room, moving to Ginny's bed. She patted the spot next to her, inviting her friend to sit with her. "I'm really worried about how much Harry is fixating on Draco lately… It's not good for him, he's gotten a little behind in his school work and he keeps having these meetings with Dumbledore. He really needs to find something happy that he can focus on, something or someone that will make him happy…"

"I know he's the Chosen One, and that he has a lot of pressure on his shoulders. And I know he has you and Ron to help him, I just don't want him to think he's alone in this, 'cause he's not. I want to be there for him too, in a way that you and Ron can't be. I want to make him happy," Ginny admitted, voice breaking a bit.

"We'll just have to work on that. Help him come to his senses about all of this. What happened earlier, that made him so mad?"

"I was in the library, trying to do homework and he comes in and starts demanding to know why I've been studying with Malfoy and claiming I've lost my mind. Of course I got mad, I mean, Loki has been more than helpful and nice towards me- who else can say that they are getting help from the top two students at Hogwarts?"

Hermione nodded, waiting for Gin to continue, obviously Harry hadn't missed the barb about Potions from that night.

"Well he said that he had been doing exceptionally well in Potions this year, why didn't I go to him? Why did it have to be the Slytherin? Don't I know how dangerous he is? Blah blah blah. I told him I was being supportive of you, you're my friend and you care for him. So I was being nice, I mean, me and Loki really have connected since you started dating."

"And that means a lot to me. I'm sorry that it's causing so much trouble Gin."

"Don't worry about it, I've always made my own choices, Harry and Ron just need to open their minds a little bit. But Harry really isn't stupid, he knew that I had been trying to upset him the other night. But instead of realizing that maybe I had a reason to get mad, he just focused on the fact that I did something mean. He hasn't even stopped to realize that he hurt my feelings, and I wanted him to see it. Instead of asking 'why did you try to make me so mad, I know you did it on purpose' he just says that I'm hanging around with the enemy and whatnot," Ginny huffed.

"Well, in my experience, boys think very differently than we do, he's focusing on the pain you caused him, and he wants you to know he's mad about it. You on the other hand, wanted him to feel upset, just like you were feeling. But of course, he hasn't realized you were upset in the first place. Boys confront each other about their feelings, they fight and then they get over it. We don't do that. All these years I've been their friend and I've tried to explain it to them and I've gotten nowhere. How many times have I had to walk away from Ron so he won't see me cry? Countless. But he has never realized that when I walk away, I'm usually sad, not mad. So each time he'd come up to me and apologize for being stupid but then just sticks his foot in his mouth moments later.

"He never actually knew what I was upset about. He just knew he should apologize but what good is an apology of it's out of necessity and not sincerity? Harry is usually better at picking up on these things, at least when it comes to my feelings. But I guess that's because it was Ron that upset me. It must be harder for him to see when he's done something wrong. Boys just don't understand- Harry isn't going to ask the question you want him to ask. You have to tell him if you want him to know Gin."

"But I don't want to apologize when he hurt my feelings first!"

"I'm not telling you to apologize, just to explain. You can still be mad at him, but at least he'll know why and can think about it. Then maybe, after you've both thought about it and cooled down, you'll be able to talk to each other. "

"But I don't think he'll listen. I did try to explain at first, before I got too mad at his accusations. I told him that I had done it for a reason and that I was mad. But he didn't listen, that was when he started saying that I was being too friendly!"

Hermione pulled Ginny towards her, into a soft hug, "If you want, I can try to bring it up with him, although um, he might not listen to me either. Especially if Ron gets to him first."

"Why?"

"Well, I kinda pissed Ron off really bad after the Prefect meeting. I know you were too engaged to realize it but Draco was in the Common Room with me when you and Harry stormed in. We had to escape from Parkinson and Ron after we got our schedule; we just wanted to talk in private. But Ron comes yelling down the hallway looking for us, threatening Draco, thinking that he'd kidnapped me. So I uh…"

"Oh gosh Mione, what did you do?" Ginny asked when she paused.

Hermione blushed furiously as she explained, "I took a hold of his tie and dragged him into the hallway, right in front of everyone, and gave him this really, _really_ steamy kiss. I even messed his hair up some, like we had already gotten a little carried away… I told him that we needed to find some place more private and started leading him away. Then Draco actually picked me up and carried me off, leaving Ron and everyone else in shock. After that we just came up here and hung out in the Common Room."

"Wow, I'm so proud of you, being sexy. I knew you had it in you! But I can imagine that Ron might be a little angry when he sees you next. And of course he'll be itching to tell Harry… I guess we'll both be separated from them for awhile. Harry is going to be mad at me since he doesn't understand why I did it. And then they'll both be mad at you for kissing your boyfriend…"

"Yea, but at least you aren't in their class, I see them a lot more during the day, you'll be able to avoid them."

Ginny shook her head, "No I'm sure Ron is going to hunt me down… give me yet _another_ speech about how I'm not being fair to Harry, I'm his friend aren't I? Shouldn't I be more supportive of him? And I need to stop hanging out with the Slytherin, or else he might tell Mum. So I'm just going to explode at him too I'm sure."

"Well, that just gives us more time to hang out then, we can work on your O.W.L.'s, you'll be sure to get excellent marks," Hermione smiled. The girls laughed, trying not to worry about what the next few days might bring but at least they had each other. Together they headed up to Hermione's dorm room, so they wouldn't disturb Ginny's roommates that had just come up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've gotten a few comments, wondering if Harry and Ginny will end up together. Just to end the curiosity, I'll tell you that I have come to a decision and they WILL be together, it will just take more time. I'm in the process of writing where they make up, but I'm quite a few pages ahead of what I post (to give me a buffer zone) so please be patient, it will happen. I just don't want to rush it and have it seem unnatural, I've written Harry as a very upset guy right now, so he can't just get over this Draco thing and pull his head out of his butt, not just yet anyways but he will, I promise. So just hang in there and I hope you all continue to enjoy the story. If you didn't want Ginny to end up with Harry I'm sorry, but that's just what felt right, for progression of the story.


	18. Private Discussions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get heated in the Gryffindor tower, bad moods are on the rise; over in Slytherin dungeons Blaise fills Draco in on what he missed with Pansy

*Down in the Common Room*

Ron came storming into the Common Room, face bordering on a deep purple in his rage. All of the students looked up as he came in nosily, instantly knowing why he was in a foul mood; they all jumped out of his way as he strode towards the fire, plopping down on one of the couches. He had tried looking for the filthy ferret and Hermione for awhile after they had walked away but he had no luck. Boy was Hermione going to get a piece of his mind when he saw her! And Malfoy, he better watch his back.

He was deep in his thoughts when Lavender came up and sat beside him, carefully touching his hand, "Hey Won Won, you okay?"

"Leave me alone right now Lavender, I'm not in the mood. Hermione has been pissing me off lately."

"But all you do is talk about her, I thought I was your girlfriend!"

"I said not now Lavender."

With tears in her eyes, Lavender stood up from the couch, throwing him a nasty glare, "I'm tired of coming in second place to her all the time. I know she is your friend but I am your girlfriend. Don't you know how upsetting it is for me when all you do is talk about her?"

Without waiting for a response, Lavender turned on her heel and went up to the dormitory; Pavarti threw a dirty look at the red head, all he ever seemed to do was hurt Lavender's feelings lately. Deciding that she had finally had enough, she strode over to him, ready to tear him a new one since Lavender wasn't going to do it.

"Ron, I think we need to have a serious talk-"

"Go away, I'm having a bad day, why are all these bloody girls wanting to talk to me all of a sudden?" Ron interrupted loudly.

Pavarti couldn't believe how thickheaded this boy could be, so instead of yelling at him she decided to change things up, "I just wanted to let you know, you just missed Hermione and Draco. I know you were looking for her, but they were up in the tower for most of the night. I'm pretty sure they had a fun night."

Ron looked up at the darker skinned girl, confused at what she was saying, "What do you mean they were up in the tower? This tower?"

"Well of course, we all saw Draco leave here not long ago. They both had big smiles on their faces as they said goodnight. It really was quite sweet."

"You're lying, no one would let a filthy Slytherin in this Common Room. Especially not my Hermione!"

"I hate to break it to you mate, but she isn't your Hermione," Neville cut in, having just returned himself. "And Pavarti isn't lying, he really was here, you missed him by maybe 5 or 10 minutes. Word of advice, just leave it alone, Hermione is happy."

"Neville are you daft? Malfoy, making Hermione happy?"

Neville just shrugged, walking away from him, towards the boy's dormitory, casually signaling to Pavarti that she should warn Hermione about Ron. Ron followed Neville up the stairs, wanting to try and convince him that Malfoy was a sneaky bastard and that Hermione needed to be kept away from him. Pavarti quickly stole up the other staircase, finding Lavender, Hermione, and Ginny all in various emotional states.

"Hey Lavender, I ended up pissing Ron off, so he's at least going to have a bad night too. And I kinda used you to do it Hermione, sorry; just wanted to let you know before you got blindsided."

"Wh-what did you say t-to him?" Lavender sniffled.

"Well, I was going to rip into him, I'm your best friend and I won't stand to see him treat you like that. But when I walked up to him, he just blew me off, wanting to know why 'all these bloody girls' suddenly wanted to talk with him. So I got mad and spilled the beans about Draco being up here in the Common Room."

"How did he take that?" Hermione giggled.

"Just awful," Pavarti told them, a grin on her face. She sat with Lavender on her bed, handing her friend a tissue. "He got in my face, said I was lying and whatnot. Although, I did hint that you two were having a good time, I never actually told him you were just sitting on the couch talking."

"Pavarti that was perfect! That goes along with what he saw before hand, I practically shouted that we were going to be getting a little… naughty together," Hermione confessed to the other girls, blushing fiercely.

All the girls broke out in giggles, bonding over Ron's torment, which he had brought upon himself in their eyes and Hermione filled the two in on what had happened out in the hallway.

"I want you to know Hermione, that I'm not mad at you, if you ever thought that. It just hurts when your boyfriend talks more about another girl, even though you two are close friends."

Hermione nodded in understanding, "Yea, Ron doesn't realize how much of an insult that can be. Especially since what he's obsessing over is MY relationship with someone else. I'm sorry for kinda making it worse though. I intentionally made him mad today, he was just pushing things too far."

"My brother is in a world of trouble now that all 4 of us are in here together talking about him."

"Yea, so far he's pissed off one of his best friends, his sister, his girlfriend, and his girlfriend's best friend. And probably his girlfriend's best friend's sister! That's about as bad as it gets for a guy," Pavarti laughed.

"Well I'm glad we can all admit that Ron is a git. At least lately, hopefully he clears his head of all this jealousy."

"Let's not forget about Harry, he's being a git too!" Ginny reminded Hermione.

The girls collectively shook their heads, wondering why boys were always so clueless; the spent to rest of the night talking about how boys were so aggravating and what they should do about it; although they all made an exception for Neville of course.

*Gryffindor Boy's Dormitory*

Neville spotted Harry lying on his bed when he entered, trying to ignore Ron's loud voice following behind him. Harry looked up when he heard the commotion, wondered what had happened; he didn't have to wait long before Ron was eagerly telling him everything, knowing Harry would be on his side.

"Harry, you will not believe what I saw earlier, after the Prefect meeting. It was disgusting, we can't let it go on."

"Let what go on?"

"Hermione and the Ferret! Malfoy dragged her away after the meeting and I went to go look for them, you know, to bring Hermione back up here so we could try and do some homework. Well all of a sudden, they come out of this classroom and they were all over each other! I couldn't believe my eyes, he was half undressed and he had sex hair!"

Dean suddenly laughed, "And how do you know what sex hair looks like mate?"

"Th-that's not the point," Ron shout back, looking embarrassed.

"Wait, so Hermione was okay with this? He wasn't being pushy?"

"No, she was encouraging it, she said that they needed somewhere more private, in front of everyone! And that bloody git just picked her up and carried her off!"

"WHAT! No way, that's not possible," Harry cried out, jumping off of his bed. He immediately flew to his trunk, digging around inside. "Do we know where she is? Where is my Map?"

"Harry, it's okay, she's here. In fact, it would seem like she let him into our Common Room, Pavarti told me, and Neville here confirmed it. I guess everyone saw him come in and didn't do anything about it. A bloody Slytherin was in our Common Room!"

"Wait, when were they in here? Is he still here?"

"No Harry he's not, he left earlier, you missed him. Leave it alone. I told Ron the same thing, Hermione is happy so just leave it be for now," Neville told him.

Harry kept digging through his clothes, looking for his Map; he was ready to go break into the Slytherin Common Room and beat Malfoy to a pulp. "Where is my Map?!"

"When was the last time you used it?"

"Like a couple of weeks ago, and I left it right here, and now it's gone!"

Ron quickly glanced around the room, "I'm sure it's here somewhere Harry, we'll find it. First we need to have a talk with Hermione about her recent actions."

Harry ran his hands through his hair, everything seemed to be going wrong. He'd have to look for the map in the morning, it was here somewhere. Wearily he sat back down on his bed and looked over at Neville, "So what exactly happened with Malfoy came in here? How did he get up the to the girl's dorm?"

Neville just shrugged, he wasn't going to lie outright, but he didn't want to admit that the couple had been in view the whole night just yet. Pavarti had gotten him good when she implied that they had disappeared upstairs, leave it to Ron to assume the worst from the phrase 'I'm pretty sure they had a fun night,' it was the truth after all.

"Neville, why aren't you talking?"

"Because I honestly feel like it's not my business and we shouldn't be gossiping about it. They are technically dating, I doubt you'd care so much if it was Pavarti or Katie? Or what about if it was with someone other than Malfoy?"

"But it is Malfoy, doesn't that bother you Neville?"

"I've talked about this with Hermione and I think that's all that matters. And I doubt you'll listen to me any more than you listen to Hermione so I'm just going to go to bed, please try to keep it down. "

Ron and Harry grumbled as Neville pulled the curtain around his bed, Dean following suit. Seamus was sitting on his bed, curious about what was happening but not wanting to get pulled into it. Instead he bid his two friends goodnight and rolled over, still listening to the others.

"What should we do Harry?"

"I have no idea, I really want to talk to Hermione, I really don't think she understands the danger that Malfoy represents. I've tried talking to Dumbledore about it but he keeps brushing me off. We've got to get her to see our side of things. Today has just been awful, first Ginny gets mad at me, now we have to deal with Hermione, my head is pounding."

"What happened with Gin mate?"

"I just asked her about the other night, when she chose to study with Malfoy instead of us, and how she asked him to help her with Potions. She did it on purpose you know, to make me mad. She keeps hanging out with the traitor, why is she making friends with him?"

"There might be something in the water, all these girls are going batty. Lavender got mad at me too just before I came up here, they get so emotional some times. I'm exhausted, let's get some sleep."

Harry grunted in response, getting undressed and pulling the curtain around him; before long he could hear Ron snoring as he looked up at the ceiling, wondering what he was going to do when he saw Hermione and Ginny in the morning.

*Slytherin Common Room*

Draco's trip to the Common Room had been uneventful, luckily him and Longbottom hadn't encountered anyone; he had only accompanied Draco halfway, neither wanted to chance him running into Slytherins on his way back alone. As he entered the Common Room, he saw Blaise and Theo sitting in their usual corner playing chess; Greg and Vince were over with Pansy and Millicent, surely plotting something. Quietly he made his way over to his friends, hoping to go unnoticed by Pansy and the others, sitting on the couch next to them. For a few moments, the trio sat quietly, focusing on the chess game, until Blaise spoke up.

"So what did you do at the Prefects meeting? Pans came back in quite the fury?"

"I sat with Granger and Weaselbee, he insisted on being with her, and of course Pans did the same thing. We sat through the meeting, which was pretty quiet until the announcement of course. Quite the uproar," Draco chuckled.

Blaise glanced at Theo, they'd have to keep conversation light while he was in earshot, "What did they announce?"

"That we can't patrol with our Housemates anymore, it has to be inter-house pairs, and of course they paired me up with Granger, you know since we're 'dating.'"

Theo's face paled, "No wonder Pansy was in such a rotten mood, not only can she not work with you, Granger gets to instead. Talk about adding insult to injury."

"Speaking of which, I think that's just what she's plotting about right now," Blaise said.

They all looked over at the other 6th years, wondering what they were talking about. Draco tried to keep his face a mask of indifference but he was livid at the thought that Pansy was plotting something against his girlfriend, again.

"Well we know that she doesn't want you to get in trouble, so she won't hurt the girl too much, Pansy's plans have a way of backfiring anyways. I'm off to bed, good game Blaise."

The pair nodded their heads as Theo strode off towards the dormitory, relaxing slightly.

"How did Pans really take it when she heard you were partnered with Hermione?"

"She exploded, as did Weasley, totally expected of course. When I left, she was in a heated argument with Adrian, although I'm not sure what was said, Weasley was too busy sulking to even notice we had left right away. For a moment, Pansy even thought she was going to be partnered with Weasley, that was hilarious. Of course Adrian isn't that stupid, but we'll see how all this works out next week, that's when they want a final list from everyone."

"Well, that doesn't quite explain the rotten mood she was in, I mean she came in here screaming and throwing things. None of us could go near her for awhile, and when she did calm down, she refused to talk about what upset her so much."

"Oh, if she was in that bad of a mood, she must have seen me and Hermione. Oh man, that was intense."

"Spill!"

"Well it started out innocently enough, we had just gone into one of the classrooms to talk about our new schedule and such, somewhere without our two friends hanging on. But Weasley came yelling down the hallway looking for us, he was acting like I had kidnapped her and was having my way with her. So, Hermione, if you'll believe it, tousled my hair and pulled me out of the room. By my tie Blaise, my tie, I never expected that."

"No way, Hermione did that? What happened then?" Blaise asked, mouth hanging open.

"Yea, it was pretty hot. Once we were in the hall, she pulled me into a kiss, in front of everyone, and said that we needed to find some place a little more private. So still leading me by my tie, she just walks away, everyone was abuzz. To make everything worse, I just picked her up and carried her off; I was expecting to be cursed at any moment."

"If Pansy had seen that, I'm surprised her head didn't explode. But that would totally explain the dark look on her face. Although now, she might go back on her word, she's out for blood."

"Yea, I need to have another talk with her, it's not like I'm dating her, but she thinks I'm her property of something."

Blaise nodded his head, "I think we might have lost Vince and Greg to her cause, so we'll have to be extra careful. We'll have to watch Hermione until we know what she has planned. Who knows how many people she has behind her on this."

"Yea, thanks for having my back through all this Blaise, you're a good friend. I'm heading to bed."

"Wait a minute, you aren't going to tell me what happened after you and Hermione walked away? Unless you stole her knickers as proof, I doubt you two actually did anything naughty."

"Oh Blaise, you cut me with your words," Draco snickered, holding his chest. "Don't you think I'm the hottest Slytherin for a reason?"

"Not with Hermione you aren't. Besides, I know the real count you have, most of those numbers are just rumors you prat. Now spill."

"Yea I know, I wonder what those girls are thinking when they talk about stuff like that. I don't even know all the girls that are rumored to have slept with me; although I'm not complaining about the reputation. But we just went to the Gryffindor Common Room and chatted, it was pretty nice; although their Common Room is much too warm and bright for my taste."

"Way to go, you got in their sacred space and survived, no one threatened to kick your ass?"

"No, surprisingly, although Potter and Weasley weren't in there to see me or I'm sure it would have gone differently. See you tomorrow."

Blaise stood up to go talk with Greg, maybe he'd be able to sneak some information from him before everyone headed to bed. He didn't want another repeat of what happened in Potions.


	19. Opening My Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The girls stick together, not wanting to\he boys to try and confront them just yet. The girls even open up to Draco a little bit more, much to his surprise. And then Draco talks with Pansy, which goes as well as expected.

*Thursday Morning*

Hermione woke with a sense of dread, she'd have to confront Ron and Harry sometime today she was sure, and Ginny would as well. This wasn't going to be pretty, but hopefully they didn't make it into a public spectacle, that was all she could hope for. She noticed that Lavender and Pavarti were stirring as well, all three of them stretching and trying to wake up. Hermione felt like she had bonded with Lavender last night and it felt good, maybe she'd have another friend to stand by her today; before this, Lavender had been more of a classmate than an actual friend. As the group started to shower and get dressed, Ginny marched in looking quite awake.

"Oh good, you gals are up, I was hoping we could all go down to breakfast together as a show of unity, you know to dissuade Ron or Harry from trying anything."

"My Gin, I didn't expect to see you up yet, and especially so chipper, what's up?"

"Quidditch practice this morning, so I've already showered and I am starving, so let's go!"

The girls laughed, promising to be ready in a few minutes, all agreeing to stand together today. Once everyone was ready, they bounded down the stairs, ready for breakfast; when they reached the Dining Hall, they saw Harry and Ron at the table, as well as the other Quidditch players. Ginny confidently strode over to the table and sat a few seats down from them, piling food onto her plate. Following her lead, the other girls quickly sat down, ignoring the boys down the table.

"So Ginny, how was practice this morning, you know, with the boys?" Lavender asked.

"Well Harry just kinda ignored me, he was in Captain mode so it really wasn't bad, although I could tell that my brother wanted to have a word with me. I didn't let him though, as soon as we were on the pitch, I flew up and huddled with the other Chasers. And I showered quickly and came up to the dorm, he couldn't follow me there. But I'm sure he'll come seek me out at lunch, we'll see what happens then."

"Ron has another thing coming if he thinks he's going to try and confront me today, Harry either. I might just go sit with the Slytherins for lunch!" Hermione exclaimed.

Everyone quickly dissolved into smiles and laughter, each coming up with a way to avoid the boys today. Hermione was in high spirits as she headed to Defense class today, walking with Lavender and Pavarti, Neville catching up with them as they all entered the hall. Harry and Ron lagged behind, walking with Dean and Seamus, wondering what Snape was going to teach them today. Hermione took her place at the front of the class, sitting with Neville today; Harry and Ron walked past without looking at her, sitting a few rows back. Class went by rather smoothly, Snape choosing to not pick on Neville that day and Hermione wasn't distracted by Harry and Ron's talking. Hermione felt like she was doing well in the class, they had been practicing non verbal spells for awhile now and she had mastered quite a few of them. She spent most of the lesson trying to help Neville out, wondering how her other friends were doing. Soon enough the class was over, Hermione and Neville gathered their things and followed the rest of the class out; Hermione waved a quick goodbye to her new companions and headed off to Arithmacy, eager to see Draco finally.

When she walked in, she immediately found his blond hair sitting up front, saving her seat for her; she plopped into the chair next to him, smiling. As she starting pulling out her book and parchment, she noticed a slip of paper on her desk with her name on it. She looked over at Draco who shrugged his shoulders; gingerly reaching out, she picked up the note and opened it:

Hermione,  
I'll be by your side today, I won't let your friends make you cry.  
Love,  
Draco

Hermione smiled up at Draco, realizing that he was faking just a moment ago, he offered her a genuine smile, reaching up and tucking her curls behind her ear. She mouthed the words 'thank you' as she folded up the note and put it in her pocket, the professor coming in and calling everyone to order. She was hardly able to pay attention in class, she kept thinking about what was going to happen at lunch when she saw Harry and Ron again. A few times Draco leaned over to correct her work on the number chart they were consulting, offering up his own parchment so she could find her mistake.

He knew she was distracted, this was one of her favorite classes, how else could she be making so many mistakes, this chart wasn't particularly hard, not compared to the one they worked with last week. When the bell rung, they packed up their stuff and headed down for lunch, Draco holding her hand. As they rounded the corner, a small boy came up to them and held up a camera, mumbling something about wanting to take pictures of couples. Hermione seemed nervous about it but also excited, so he agreed to take one, throwing his arm over her shoulder; Hermione squeaked with joy, surprised that Draco had agreed. She wrapped both her arms around his waist and leaned against his chest as Collin took a picture of them. He promised to get a copy of the picture to Hermione as soon as it was ready and ran off into the Hall to sit at the Gryffindor table with his brother.

"Collin is so energetic, and he doesn't go anywhere without his camera. I wonder how the picture will turn out," Hermione mused as they followed him into the Hall. "Did you want to sit with the Slytherins today Draco? I'm kinda fighting with Harry and Ron right now, which is no surprise."

"Why don't we sit with Red, she's by herself. Besides, I don't think my table is safe for you right now, Pansy is a little upset about me patrolling with you now. I know how temperamental she gets when she's mad at someone."

"I'll keep my eyes open for her then, although you'd think she'd be smarter than that, I'm not a push over. But we can sit with Ginny, it looks like Lavender might sit with us too," she commented as they found a space next to the younger witch.

Everyone exchanged warm greetings, Lavender and Pavarti coming to sit with them as well. Pavarti was just about to ask Draco a question when Ron called over to their group.

"Hey Lav, don't you want to come sit with me and Harry?"

Lavender coldly looked over at him, eyebrow raised; with a quick shake of her head, she turned back to Ginny, asking her how her studying was going. Out of the corner of her eye, Hermione could see Ron's face fall, he never expected Lavender to ditch him. She smiled encouragingly at Lavender, knowing it wasn't easy for the friendly girl to blow people off. As Ginny continued to talk about her homework, Draco was kicked lightly in the shin, almost making him drop his fork. He looked across the table at the Patil twin, confused look on his face.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Yea, sure."

"I was wondering, how often you talked to Adrian, I promised Padma I'd ask you about him," she whispered, blushing slightly.

"The Head Boy? I don't see him too much, he's usually busy with his various duties and his N.E.W.T.'s but he seems like a chill bloke. Why?"

"Well, Padma has a crush on him, and I have no idea why since he's a Slytherin, no offense," she offered.

Draco chuckled, "Hermione likes a Slytherin too, but don't tell anyone, it's a secret," he disclosed with a wink. "Adrian is really responsible and smart, I'm sure Padma saw a lot of him during the Prefect meetings. He's definitely one of the more accepting Slytherins I'll admit. "

"Oh, I see, I guess not all Slytherins are bad, although you don't make it easy to like you, generally speaking. Plus with that whole House rivalry thing, you know how it is. Do you think you can maybe talk to him for her? See if he likes anyone or something?"

"I have no idea why girls can't do such things for themselves, but I suppose I can do that, since I'm trying to make some new friends. Just don't repeat that too loudly, I'm catching a lot of flak from my friends with how much time I spend with you Gryffindors."

"Thanks, she'll appreciate it, me too 'cause now that means I won't have to ask, I don't even know him. And if the Slytherins are giving you flak, then they aren't really your friends anyways."

Draco nodded, wondering why he had agreed, it really didn't matter to him if the Gryffindors liked him, just as long as Hermione did. But he supposed he liked how it felt to have people open up to him, in Slytherin everyone had a motive, but here, they just seemed to be so open, just to be open. The more time he spent away from the Slytherins, the more he realized how closed off they were from the rest of the school. Had he always seemed so cold to everyone? As he glanced over at his table, he saw the stark difference between them, something he hadn't really seen when he was sitting at the table. The other tables were full of laughing faces and students having fun with one another; the Slytherin table definitely looked full of cold people, no one was being too loud or animated. Everyone was talking in whispers, the only people that seemed semi normal were the younger Slytherins. It was weird to see them so stoic, in their Common Room they seemed laid back; out here it was so different and he never noticed that he had acted the same way. It was just so normal for him to switch faces like that. Hermione had really opened his eyes to a lot of things.

Noticing that he had been neglecting his lunch, he quickly ate the rest of the food on his plate, not wanting to be late Defense class. He bid the girls good bye and gave Hermione a quick kiss before they parted ways, watching as Hermione made her way to class. Blaise quickly caught up with him, looking at the girls over his shoulder. Draco raised his brow at his friend, wondering who he was looking at, but Blaise just looked away and ducked his head. Playfully giving his buddy a push, they hurried to class, not wanting to get on Snape's bad side.

When they got to the classroom, Draco decided to sit with Pansy, hoping he'd be able to get her to talk about what she was planning. After Snape instructed them on which nonverbal spell they'd be working on today, Draco turned towards Pansy, expecting her to say something. But she refused to look at him, instead turning all her attention to her wand movements; with a shrug, Draco looked away and began practicing his spell casting as well. Not surprisingly, the silence didn't last too long; Pansy couldn't stop herself from bringing up what she had seen the other night.

"So how was she?"

"Hm?"

"The filthy Mudblood, how was she?"

"Pans, nothing happened, don't get your knickers in a twist."

"Nothing you do has an effect on my underwear any more Draco!"

"Oh, then why are you so mad? Why do you care anyways?" Draco asked, noting she called him Draco today; she only did that when she was mad at him.

"Because, everyone will talk, that's why. What if Theo finds out, or what if Greg had seen and told his father, you think that won't get back to You-Know-Who?"

"I'm a guy, I have needs you know, they'd both understand I'm sure. It's nothing to write home about, but nothing happened anyways, I told you that."

"It sure didn't look like nothing, not from where I was standing. If you aren't careful, the Mudblood is going to think she actually stands a chance with you. She needs to be reminded of her place!" she spat out.

Draco gave her a serious look, "Remember what we talked about Pans, don't do anything stupid."

"I won't," she smiled sweetly at him.

He looked over at Blaise, neither of them liking her tone; she must be thinking of a way to remain out of the picture, probably with Greg and Vince's help. Things were going to get ugly if he wasn't able to convince her to let it go, but Pansy wasn't going to let it go. He knew her, how she felt about him, she couldn't stand to see someone else receiving his affections, especially not a witch like Hermione. He was going to have to keep Hermione close, she would be safest when he was with her, his friends weren't stupid enough to do something while he was right there. As the class ended and everyone started packing, Professor Snape called Draco over, wanting to speak with him privately.

"Yes Professor?"

"I just received word from the Headmaster that he would like to meet with you after dinner, at 7 o'clock. Don't be late, the password is cauldron cakes."

"Thank you, will you be there as well?"

"Yes I will be."

With a nod, Draco turned to leave, catching up with Blaise and Theo, everyone heading back to the dungeons to wait until dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the delay in the update, been pretty busy, but no worries, I am still working on this story! Thank you for all the people that have been leaving reviews, they make me very happy. Hope you like the latest chapter!  
> Also, I know I'm making the Slytherins out to be kinda bad... it's kinda following the stereotype, but I'm slowing going to be introducing the warmer side of them. They all know about the things said about Slytherins and use that to their advantage, just wanted to let you know I'm not totally biased against Slytherins =)


	20. House Unity

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Draco notice how some of the other students are acting.

*Transfiguration*

Harry and Ron continued to ignore Hermione during class, choosing to sit further back than Hermione; she had no problem with this of course, that meant she could focus more on class. It also meant she wouldn’t be tied up having to help them with homework. As much as she wanted them to do good, there was only so much she could take before she needed her space from them. So she sat with Neville and Lavender again, focusing on the human transfiguration they were working on. Neville seemed to work much better when he was sitting with Hermione, she was able to help him focus, unlike when he sat next to Seamus. When you had to worry about something exploding in your face, it was quite distracting. Lavender wasn’t faring too well, she kept getting distracted by Pavarti and talking about Ron; she missed him, how long would she have to wait until he apologized? As much as Hermione loved for her friends, at the moment she couldn’t care less, she was too worried about Draco, tomorrow night was only going to be the second time they looked at the dresser together. As the bell rang to dismiss everyone from class, Professor McGonagall called Hermione over.

“Yes Professor McGonagall?”

“Headmaster Dumbledore asked me to inform you that he wishes to meet with you tonight after dinner, 7 o’clock. The password for his office is cauldron cakes. Don’t be late.”

“Oh thank goodness, I’ve been hoping to talk with him. Thank you Professor.”

She practically skipped up to the Common Room, she finally had a chance to speak with Dumbledore about her thoughts and anxieties. As she reached her room and dropped off her bag, she wondered what new information he might give her, there was no doubt that he had a reason besides comforting her to call her for a meeting. Trying to not dwell on it, she grabbed one of her books from her desk and made her way downstairs, she might as well get some homework out of the way before dinner. As soon as she found an unoccupied seat, Ginny came bustling through the door.

“Oh Hermione, there you are, I was hoping to find you here. I was thinking you could come to the library with me, Luna and I want to study before dinner, please help?”

Hermione smiled affectionately, “I’d be happy to help Gin, you and Luna are good friends. Let me go get my bag, just in case we stay late, then I won’t have to come back up here.”

When Hermione reappeared, bag over her shoulder, the two left, quickly bounding down the stairs towards the library. It was busier than usually, more students were starting to cram for the O.W.L.’s and N.E.W.T.’s coming up; but they managed to find Luna by one of the windows.

“Oh Hermione, it has been some time since we’ve last spoken, how are you?” Luna wondered as the girls joined her.

“I’m fine Luna, how have you been?”

“I’ve been quite well, the Nargals have been leaving me alone,” Luna responded, showing the girls her shoes, both still in her possession. “How have things been with Draco? Ginny has told me you two have been spending a lot of time together?”

Hermione couldn’t help but smile as she pulled out her books, “Things have been good, he’s full of surprises. Harry and Ron have been awful about it though. That’s been the only downside, as well as the Slytherins looking like they want to attack me.”

“They are nothing to worry about, we all have your back. Besides, it’s not like you go anywhere alone right? You just focus on being happy and the rest will follow.”

“Thanks Luna, your support means a lot.”

After that, everyone got out their homework and started asking questions, deciding to work on Transfiguration for a bit before moving on to Defense homework. Before they knew it, it was time for dinner, Luna sitting with the Gryffindors for dinner.

“Oh hey Luna, long time no see,” Neville greeted her as she sat down.

“Yea, to what do we owe the pleasure?” Pavarti called over.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve chatted with you all, excluding Ginny of course. I figured I would join the movement going on.”

There was some confused mumbling as Luna said that, they weren’t quite sure what she meant. It wasn’t until Luna told them to look around did they understand; throughout the Dining Hall, there were Hufflepuffs sitting at the Ravenclaw table, a few of the younger Gryffindors were sitting with the other tables, even a Ravenclaw or two was at the Slytherin table.

“Haven’t you guys noticed? There has been a lot more of students trading tables lately. Ever since Hermione and Draco started dating, I guess everyone realized that if two sworn enemies can do it, so can they,” Luna explained.

“I never really thought about it, Draco just kinda came at ate lunch with me during the week, I never thought it was anything special. Is it really because of us that people started to share tables?”

“Yes. A few students have done it before, but never quite so regularly, only if there was something important they wanted to discuss, but never to just have a meal. You may not have noticed this, but everyone took note when a Slytherin came over to the Gryffindor table and a fight didn’t break out.”

Neville nodded, understanding, “For it not being strictly against the rules, each House has been pretty reluctant to sit at any table except their own. I’ve never even thought about sitting with Ernie or Hannah for dinner, or even you Luna. Houses are supposed to be your team, but what’s even more important is learning to stand together in the bigger picture.”

“You’re right, once we leave Hogwarts, how important will it be to know which House you were sorted into, it’s more important to know people for who they are, which is much more than just a House can tell you,” Hermione agreed. “I was almost sorted into Ravenclaw, the Sorting Hat really wasn’t sure which House suited me more. We all have the qualities of each House, we just get sorted into the one that fits us the most or the one that will help us to grow.”

The Gryffindors around them looked at each other, then through the Hall again, seeing how everyone was getting along, despite what table they sat at. It was nice to see everyone getting along outside the classroom. Hermione looked up afor the Headmaster, wondering what he thought of all this, but he wasn’t at the table. Remembering her meeting with him later, she quickly piled food on her plate and began eating. Her thoughts returned to Draco, she wondered if she could invite him to the meeting as well, or maybe he was already going? She searched the Slytherin table for the familiar blonde hair, finding him towards the end of the table, seated, as always, next to Blaise.

Draco felt like he was being watched, he looked up, wondering who it might be. Of course, he found Hermione’s honey eyes looking over at him and a smile broke out on his face. It made him happy to know that Hermione thought about him during the day, occasionally looking at him from afar. He had been talking with Adrian about the Patil girl, like he told her sister he would; surprisingly, Adrian seemed rather excited at the thought of the Ravenclaw girl liking him.

“I never figured you’d go for a Ravenclaw Adrian,” Daphne spoke out from across the table.

“I’m just not as closed minded as you it seems. You know, your sister dated a Ravenclaw as well.”

“Yea, and I still have no idea why.”

“Look around you Daphne, there is a lot more mingling going on, and that’s not a bad thing.”

At his words, Draco and Blaise looked around, suddenly realizing that there was a lot of mingling going on, not everyone was sitting at their own table. Just a few seats down from him were a couple of Ravenclaws, acting like they’ve eaten here every night. When did this happen? As if sensing his question, Adrian leaned over to whisper in his ear.

“It mostly started when you started eating at the Gryffindor table; it really opened everyone’s eyes you know. Now people aren’t afraid to sit where they want, all the inter-house couples are excited about it.”

“I started this? Are you sure?”

“Yea, you took the initiative and broke down that wall that everyone thought existed. People were afraid to mix with other Houses outside of class. But not anymore, now students feel welcome to sit with their significant other, and even their friends”

“But it’s not like we’re the first people to date outside of our Houses,” Draco said, confused.

“No, that’s true. But you are the first powerful pair to do so. A lot of students look up to you and Hermione, for different reasons. And now, two people that were once enemies are dating? You really struck a chord with everyone, especially taking into account you are a Slytherin and she’s a Gryffindor.”

“Man, look at you, starting some kind of revolution,” Blaise chimed in, clapping Draco on the shoulder.

Draco just shook his head, bewildered at the sudden change in everyone, he couldn’t believe that he and Hermione could have started something so big, just by dating. Was everyone really keeping tabs on them? He supposed it made sense, if anyone else from Slytherin had suddenly decided to sit at the Gryffindor table, he’d be sure to hear about it. And it made sense that everyone kept track of the Gryffindor Princess, it’s not like she dated too often. He wasn’t really sure if this was a good development or bad, only time would tell. As everyone started to eat dessert, he remembered that he needed to head to the meeting with Dumbledore, checking his watch to make sure he wasn’t late. As he started to stand, he heard Pansy hiss ‘Mudblood’ from her spot at the table, before he could comment, he heard Hermione address him.

“Hey Draco, I was wondering if I could talk to you real quick?”

“Of course, I was just getting ready to leave, walk with me?”

The couple waited until they were outside the doors before talking, not wanting to be overheard, both of them trying to say something at once.

“Where were you going?”  
“What did you want to talk about?”

Draco couldn’t help but chuckle, “You go first Princess.”

“I was just wondering if you wanted to go with me to the Headmaster’s office, he wanted to have a meeting and I figured it would be good for you to be there too, but if you are already going somewhere…” she trailed off.

“Actually, I’m heading to that same meeting, Professor Snape told me about it before I left Defense class. He’s supposed to be there too so I guess it’s going to be important. Shall we?” he asked, holding his hand out to her.

“We shall,” Hermione answered, grabbing his offered hand.

They hurried along the corridor, eager to see what the Headmaster wanted to discuss with them. As they got to the gargoyle, Draco called out the password and followed Hermione up the staircase. Once they reached the door, they knocked, waiting to enter. At once they heard Dumbledore’s voice telling them to enter, both of them taking a deep breath before opening the door. Dumbledore sat at his desk and Professor Snape was standing next to him, arms crossed. As the couple entered the room, Dumbledore gestured for them to sit, a warm smile on his face.

“Welcome, both of you, I’m glad you could make it. Would either of you like some candy?” he asked, holding out a bowl of Lemon Drops.

Not wanting to appear rude, both of them grabbed a few of the candies, Hermione popping one into her mouth. They turned to look at each other, neither certain of where to start or what to say. But Dumbledore spoke before they had given it too much thought.

“I’m sure both of you are aware that I called you here to discuss the upcoming mission, Professor Snape and I are hoping to explain the situation to you a little more completely. But first, how has your work on the cabinets been going?”


	21. Meeting With Dumbledore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dumbledore gives the couple some more details about the upcoming night, hoping to ease their minds. It helps, but at the same time, it only raises more questions. Harry is really going to be upset with this whole thing.

Draco ran his hands through his hair, not wanting to disappoint them, but Hermione spoke up earnestly, "Well, we haven't had time to fully investigate them, but I have come up with a list of spells I would like to try on them, we were hoping to find some time to work on them tomorrow night. And we'll be testing them over the weekend and Draco plans on going home for Easter Weekend, so we know nothing is being tampered with."

"What do you mean tampered with?" Snape asked.

"Well, the few things I have sent through seem to be okay, but every time I send a live bird, it comes back dead. I don't know if I'm doing something wrong, or if it just isn't working. But there is also the possibility that Borgin is tampering with the birds before he sends them back to me," Draco explained.

"Borgin can be a rather untrustworthy, I wouldn't put it past him to be trying to mess with you. He has been under your father's thumb for some time, it makes sense that he isn't trying hard to make things easy."

"Does he want Draco to die?" Hermione questioned, reaching over and grabbing Draco's arm.

"Now, now Miss Hermione, we're going to make sure that doesn't happen. I've given this a lot of thought and as I explained the other night, this is the best course of action. Have you learned when the attack is supposed to happen Mister Malfoy?"

"Aunt Bellatrix is waiting for a letter from me saying that the path into the school is completely secure before we decide on that. But I know she thinks the sooner, the better."

"Yes, Bellatrix is quite impatient when it comes to wanting to please the Dark Lord," Snape drawled.

"So we're hoping by Easter, we'll have definite evidence that the cabinets are safe for transportation, then I guess we wait until we know more. What is supposed to happen that night," Hermione asked, turning towards her boyfriend.

"Well, after I let everyone into the castle, I'm to find Dumbledore, somehow, and kill him. But I think Aunt Bella is supposed to tell me what to do, I mean, how I am supposed to know where you are?"

"Ah, we have solved that problem for you. Professor Snape will have put a Locator Charm on me, so when you let the Death Eaters into the castle, you should find him first. Bellatrix should already be aware of this plan so that shouldn't be a problem. After that, Severus will lead you to me, wherever I happen to be on the night in question."

"What about when we find you?" Hermione asked, clearing her throat.

"Well, the Headmaster will appear to try and talk young Draco down, which he will refuse. I will go over that with you at a later time. As the conversation goes on, Dumbledore will end up saying something that will appear to upset me and in the end, I will cast the Killing Curse in a fit of rage. Everyone should be happy, except maybe Bellatrix. After that I am to whisk you away to the safety of the Manor while everyone realizes what has happened."

Draco blinked a few times, trying to take in what they were telling him, "Just like that? You've prepared for this? And what happens after that, what about protecting me and my mother?"

Dumbledore smiled at the scared youngster in front of him, "For appearances sake, you'll have to spend some time at the Manor while the Order gets everything prepared. You and your mother will be safe, I have promised you this. Not everyone in the Order knows of what is to happen, but enough of them understand their future roles and that you are to be taken in. This won't be easy, but this is the best way."

"Headmaster? What about Harry? I know that you've been meeting with him, have you told him of the plan?"

"No, I fear it will be too much for him to know, he'd try to come up with some way to save me and I cannot allow that."

"But Harry has been hounding me about Draco," Hermione explained, "I think he'll take things into his own hands if he's kept out of the loop for much longer. He insists that I tell him everything about Draco and he refuses to trust him. Is there anything we can tell him?"

Dumbledore contemplated this for a moment, "Harry has also brought up this subject with me, which I've tried to distract him from. I think it might be safe for Harry to realize that Draco is not the Death Eater he pretended to be on the train. I think that would be sufficient enough for now. Once Harry realizes that young Draco doesn't have the Dark Mark, a lot of his accusations will lose credibility."

"Okay, I'm sure I can figure out something, but what if it isn't enough? I know how Harry can be…"

"If it continues to be an issue, I'll tell Harry that I've spoken with Draco myself and he can rest assured that he poses no danger. That is all he'll need to know for now."

Hermione sagged with relief, "Thank you Headmaster that solves a lot of my problems, Harry won't argue with you if you can personally vouch for him. Will you tell him about Professor Snape too?"

"He has already been told that Severus is on my side, as much as he refuses to believe it. I'm afraid that this is one of the reasons I can't tell Harry about the plan."

"But, if Harry doesn't know about the plan, won't that make him hate Professor Snape even more?"

Snape cut in suddenly, "That's exactly what we need him to believe Miss Granger. It is imperative that he believes me to be the bad guy for awhile longer, so neither of you can tell him that part of the plan."

"Yes Professor Snape."

"As for the other part of the plan, I have something for you Miss Hermione, as promised," Dumbledore said as he reached into his robes. "Here is a bottle, I want you to hold onto it until after my death, at a time when you and your friends are alone. In the bottle are my memories of these conversations, at least in part. You are to show these to Harry, so he will understand that Draco is indeed on our side. I would prefer if you could wait until after Draco and his mother have been secured, that way no information can be leaked accidentally. So far, the few people that do know, are all under the Fidelius Charm and can't say anything. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do, I'll keep this bottle safe, I promise," Hermione told him as she took the bottle filled with silver memories.

"Were there any other questions?"

Draco realized there was something else on his mind, "Professor Snape, Pansy is taking this whole situation badly. She's going to try and hurt Hermione, in fact she already tried. I've talked to her about it but I think she's still planning something. I'm really worried."

"Wait, are you talking about the Potions incident? All she did was stop you from testing it…"

Draco looked down, "Not quite. The reason she stopped me from drinking it was because she had poisoned it, hoping that you'd be the one to drink it. I hadn't been able to stop her from putting Angel's Trumpet in it. I didn't want to worry you so I didn't tell you about that part."

"So you were going to drink it instead?" she asked, eyes wide.

"That doesn't seem like a brilliant plan Draco," Snape said, looking down at his godson.

"I didn't really think that part through, I just knew I could let Hermione drink it."

"So what do you think will happen now?"

"Well she had been talking about finding out when Hermione was scheduled to patrol, but that was before I was scheduled with her. I have no idea if she'll still try something with me there, thinking that I'd be on her side or not."

"Miss Parkinson is known for acting rashly, I'll try and keep an eye on her, my office isn't too far from the Slytherin Dungeons. If you find out anything come to me immediately and we'll work something out. Same goes to you Miss Granger. I don't want any fighting in the halls, and I'm sure the Headmaster doesn't either."

Draco and Hermione nodded their heads once more, not wanting to go against Snape. Dumbledore dismissed them after they finished asking questions, informing them that they could come up to see him anytime to discuss this further if they thought of anything. Together they stood and left the office, slowly descending the stairs, thinking of everything they had learned.

"My head hurts, I still don't understand why all of this has to happen. I was kinda hoping we'd be able to talk about it but it's almost curfew," Draco confessed.

"Yea, I know the feeling. Hopefully we'll have time tomorrow after we work on the project," Hermione said, giving him a hug.

"So what are you going to tell Potter about me? Any ideas yet?"

"Yea, he's been reminding me all about how he heard your conversation on the train and that I need to remember how dangerous you are. So I can tell him that I saw you with your sleeves rolled up and noticed a distinct lack of Mark on your forearms. I can come up with the details on the way. Although, they aren't really speaking to me right now anyways, so I've got time."

"Because of what happened after the Prefect meeting I'm guessing?"

"Yea. But I don't really mind, it's been really hectic and it's been nice to not listen to them spewing hate all the time. And I have you, Gin, and even Neville on my side so I'm not completely alone. But did Pansy really try to poison me?"

"You'll never be alone, not if I can help it. And yea, she did. I yelled at her for that one, and I thought she had understood. But I think the little performance upset her as well; she told me that you need to be put back in your place. She can't stand the thought of you having what she can't."

"How far do you think she'll go?"

"I'm honestly not sure, I have her scared of repercussions from the Dark Lord if something was to happen to you, or if I were to be blamed and then expelled. But there is still a lot she might try, Madam Pomfrey can fix a lot."

"I'll remember that. I know you warned me earlier, but with this new information, I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled. Can't be too careful.

" I'll keep you in the loop this time if I hear anything, I have Blaise informing me as well. Go get some sleep Princess, I'll see you tomorrow, I love you."

Hermione smiled, "I love you back Draco, sweet dreams."

They parted with a quick kiss, each heading in different directions and hoping not to run into anyone else on the way. Hermione was thinking of how she and Ginny could finally talk things over with Harry and Ron; Ginny didn't need to be fighting with her brother at a time like this. As she came up to the portrait, she tiredly gave the password, just wanting to get some sleep. The past hour and a half really took a toll on her; as she entered the Common Room, she didn't even look around to see who was up, she just went up to her room and sat on her bed. As an afterthought, Hermione remembered to go put on some pajamas and brush her teeth, gratefully pulling the curtains around her as she climbed into bed. But not before carefully tucking the bottle into her trunk, tomorrow she'd figure out a way to keep it safer.


	22. Discussions with Snape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco decides to go to his Head of House for help, knowing that Snape would have an easier time dealing with Pansy than he might. What do you think she has planned?

*Friday Morning*

Draco stretched, wishing he could go back to sleep, it was going to be a long day. But at least he'd see his girlfriend, they had Double Potions right after breakfast. Hopefully they'd sit together today again, although it push Pansy too much. Tonight was when they were supposed to patrol, so if she had already planned something, she still might go through with it. Hermione should be okay, she was smart, plus she had that map with her, she'd be able to keep an eye on her surroundings. Once they got to the Room of Requirement they'd be fine for the night. Once he had time, he'd ask Blaise if he found anything out, his personal attempts at talking to Greg failed.

With a grumble he pulled himself out of bed and chucked a slipper over towards Blaise's head, "Wake up, we have Potions today, time for breakfast."

"Why did you throw your slipper at me, Theo has Potions too you know, throw one at him!" came a grumpy response as the curtains opened.

"Because I'm already up Blaise, there is no reason to throw one at me," Theo responded, coming back into the room, toweling off his hair.

With a few more grumbles, Draco and Blaise showered and dressed, ready for breakfast. Luckily Theo hadn't waited for them and Draco had the perfect opportunity to speak with his friend.

"Hey, did you find anything out, I got nothing from Greg the other night. Please tell me you had better luck."

"Not much, but I did get some. It seems that Pans is going to have Vince and Greg do the dirty work, whatever it is. That way she'll be clean of any blame, neither of them are overly bright but they'll never rat on her and she knows it. The plan did have something to do with her Prefect schedule but you're patrolling with her aren't you?"

"Yea, Pansy would have found that out last night when she looked at the schedule, do you think she'll still do it? I mean, she can't think I'd just turn a blind eye right?"

"I'm not sure what she's thinking. Maybe she thinks you will, or she has a plan for you too mate," Blaise suggested.

Draco looked at his friend, would Pansy really go that far? He doubted she would do something to hurt him, but she might try something to keep him from Hermione. He had no idea what she might try, but he couldn't let her have her way twice, Hermione needed to be protected from his friends. Should he tell Snape after Potions today? Draco kept pondering what to do as they approached the Slytherin table, ready for breakfast, Pansy happily waving them over, Theo sitting next to her. Draco noted that Pansy was in a very good mood today, she was more bubbly than usual and she was smiling at Greg and Vince. They were enjoying the attention, before Pansy only treated them like acquaintances, mere footboys to Draco; it was a change for them to get womanly attention.

Blaise chuckled at the antics going on across the table, women definitely had an advantage sometimes, if they chose to use it. He eyed Theo closely, wondering if he was in on it as well, he couldn't decide for sure but he seemed disinterested; although that was par for the course, he rarely showed interest in anything. But it was better to assume he might be in on it, better to account for more enemies than too few.

At the Gryffindor table, Hermione sat between Ginny and Neville, and a few other 5th years were across from them. Harry and Ron were still acting coolly towards her but Lavender had begun to crack. She was sitting with Pavarti but she had said hi to Ron as she sat down; it wouldn't be long before they were hanging out again. Maybe tonight, before she went patrolling she'd be able to talk with them, or at least with Harry. Maybe if she could convince him that Draco wasn't as a Death Eater yet, he'd back off some. Then he could talk to Ron for her and they'd be back to talking. She knew she wasn't going to sit with them during Potions, that would be stupid; hopefully Draco would have room at his table again. As everyone got up to either head to class or go back to their Common Rooms, Ginny gave Hermione a hug promising to see her at lunch.

As she walked ahead of Ron and Harry, she wondered if she could walk with Draco, but surely that would make matters worse. But Draco came up to her, with Blaise right beside him, and decided to walk with her, ensuring Pansy knew that the curly haired witch was going to be sitting with them today. Pansy clearly got the message, walking by with her nose in the air, deciding to walk with Theo.

"Hermione, more than likely Pansy will be up to something tonight, I want you to keep an eye on that map of Potter's. I'm going to talk with Snape after class as well," Draco whispered in her ear.

"Thanks for the warning, but won't you be with me?"

"Well, I hope to be, but I have a feeling Pansy might try to keep me from you. So I want you to be prepared, just in case."

"Okay, I'll remember that; don't miss lunch though. And I'll come up with something to protect myself from whatever Pansy has planned. Looks like I've got a busy day ahead of me, good thing I can mange time pretty well."

The group chuckled as they entered the Potions Dungeon, Professor Slughorn welcoming them as usual. Quickly, they sat down at a table, Hermione making sure to look straight ahead and not notice the glances she got from her friends. She simultaneously wanted to laugh and blanch when Professor Slughorn told them he was going to have them making a Draught of Peace, hearing how poorly everyone did the previous year. Although Hermione was sure that Harry would do just fine now that he had that silly book, and she felt even more confident about her potion brewing skills, so hopefully she'd do fine as well.

The whole class groaned as they started to gather their ingredients, none of them looking forward to this potion. Hermione opened her book, placing it between her and Blaise again while Draco gathered the ingredients for them.

"I'm glad we have a double scheduled for this, at least now it won't feel as rushed, this is a hard potion to squeeze into one period."

"Yea, Professor Snape was in a really bad mood that day. This is still a hard potion but a double period is ample time to get it done, as long as we don't forget anything," Blaise agreed, arranging his instruments in front of him.

Soon quiet took over the classroom, everyone concentrating on the potion at hand. It wasn't long before Hermione used one of the ties in her bag to hold up her hair, and she was muttering the instructions to herself. On top of that she was constantly checking on Draco's and Blaise's potions, wanting to make sure they turned out okay. Draco couldn't help but smile at her work ethic, even though neither of them needed help like her two friends, she couldn't help but mother over them. It didn't take long for her to realize that they were both adept at potions but she still occasionally checked to make sure the potions were the right color and consistency. The double period went by fast enough as everyone worked hard to complete the potion and before long Professor Slughorn was calling for a sample and to clean up. Hermione was more than satisfied with the group's potions as they all bottled some and handed it in. Noise gradually came back to the room as everyone started cleaning up and packing their things.

Pansy rudely pushed her way passed Hermione and Blaise as she left the room, almost knocking her to the floor. Blaise caught her arm to steady her, Draco on her other side, glaring at the back of Pansy's head. Theo passed by, noting the glare from the blond as well as the steadying hand from Blaise. He shook his head, not sure what was happening to his classmates, but he really didn't care. He couldn't wait for school to be over, then hopefully the war would be over and he'd be able to pursue his own ambitions.

Once Draco was sure that Pansy was down the hallway and Blaise would walk with Hermione, he took off for Snape's office. He quickly knocked, hoping his Godfather was here; luck was with him, Professor Snape quickly responded, granting him entrance. After making sure the door was closed, Draco approached the desk, not wanting to interfere with the work the professor was doing. He didn't have long to wait, Snape waved him to a seat as he straightened, looking at his visitor for the first time.

"Well Draco, what brings you here?"

"I wanted to talk to you about Pansy, I think something is going to happen tonight," Draco told him.

"Any ideas as to what Miss Parkinson has planned?"

Draco shifted in his seat, "Not specifically, but I know she's recruited Greg and Vince to help her, that way she can claim innocence. But Pansy knows that I'm patrolling tonight, so I'm worried she might find a way to keep me and Hermione separated."

"She does have something planned, in fact, she came to me with it," Snape started.

"Wait, what?"

Snape looked at Draco sharply, "If you'd let me finish? Miss Parkinson spoke with me last night, hoping that I'd talk with you. She mentioned that she was worried about your relationship with Granger and that as Head of Slytherin, it was my duty to keep you from straying. So I'm glad you came to meet with me now."

Draco ran his hands through his hair, "She really asked that? But how did she get around the fact that I have Prefect rounds tonight?"

"Well, she confessed that she loathes Granger, and that it is in everyone's best interests that this relationship ends. She told me that she has been assigned as an extra for now, during that rounds and that she'd be willing to take over your position for tonight."

"And you, being Head of Slytherin would have no reason to object, since you don't like the Gryffindors, especially not Granger. But, if she's supposed to be patrolling, that puts her right in the middle of everything, how does she expect to not get in trouble?"

Snape walked over to his storage closet, hands behind his back, "She didn't tell me that of course, that part of her plan remains a secret. So I expect you to be here tonight, to give Miss Parkinson control, although I'll notify the Headmaster of course. I do believe it is Professor Flitwick's turn to be on duty tonight, so maybe with some gentle prodding he'll encounter the pair before anything happens."

"If you think that's best then I'll come here, but can I tell Hermione? I think it would be best for her to know that we have some kind of plan to protect her."

"Yes of course, tell her as soon as you see her. More than likely Miss Parkinson has a plan to get out of patrolling with Miss Granger and will be M.I.A. when the plan starts. She should just patrol as normal, like you'll catch up to her as soon as you can. Have her patrol along the trophy room corridor for as long as possible. That's where I'll tell Professor Flitwick to go, so the chances will be better he'll catch them in the act. If anything else comes up, I'll send word to you both."

"Thank you Professor Snape, I'm glad you could help me."

"Of course, now go get some lunch and talk everything over with Miss Granger. I'll go talk with the Headmaster."

Nodding to the dark haired professor, Draco got up and headed to lunch, eager to tell Hermione everything. He had no idea what she had planned for tonight, but he was certain she'd be able to defend herself since she would have knowledge about the attack. As he entered the Dining Hall, he cast a quick glance over at his table; Pansy was there, talking with Greg and Vince, all of them seemed to have a gleeful look on their faces. He quickly walked passed, not wanting to draw attention to the fact he was looking and went to find his girlfriend.


	23. Rushing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione and Draco are starting to feel some of the stress of all this secret keeping. Plus with her best friends still not talking to her, Hermione is feeling a little lost. Usually she'd tell them all about this kind of stuff, but she had sworn that she would keep it a secret. And Draco has his hand full worrying about Pansy, how will everything turn out?

To his surprise, Blaise was sitting with her at the Gyrffindor table, making small talk with Red and Luna. He was surprised, Blaise usually tried to act nonchalant and uncaring, what was everyone going to say at the Slytherin table? Gratefully, he found a seat next to Hermione, planting a kiss on her cheek before putting some food on his plate.

"Hey Draco, how did it go?"

"Interesting to say the least, but what are you doing here Blaise, aren't you going to blow your cover?"

Blaise chuckled, "Actually no, Pansy asked me to sit here, politely asking if I could gather some information for her."

Ginny snorted from across the table, "Can't she tell that Blaise is on your side Seth?"

"No, although she is still under the impression that Draco is in this to use Hermione. She said that Hermione obviously trusts me as Draco's friend and could I do her a favor? All I had to do is sit here with her and gather information, although what information she's looking for, I haven't the slightest."

"I think I do," Draco began, telling them all about what he discussed with Snape. He casually looked over at Pansy while he was talking, noticing her subtle glances at the table. He did his best to appear as though he was just making conversation, not trying to plan her downfall.

"Ok, so, I find out that I'm suppose to patrol alone? Or do you think Pansy will actually show up?" Hermione asked.

"You know, I think Pansy will actually show up, to at least tell you that Draco can't make it. From what I've gathered of her plan, Pansy is really working to cover her tracks, so I doubt she even expects you to find out about meeting with Snape until tonight. All last minute stuff, so I guess none of us are supposed to know what Snape said just yet," Blaise told them.

Luna spoke up then, "Do you think that she might cause a fight with Hermione, as a way to get out of patrolling with her?"

Blaise looked over at the pretty blonde, "That's a good question Luna, it's a high possibility."

Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment, "Well with that in mind, the question is, should I go along with it? Or should I just be so nice to her that she has to patrol with me?"

"No, I think she'd be more suspicious if we decided on that, plus, we want to catch them in action, so that way this shouldn't happen again. Although it will be hard to pin any blame on Pans if she's not even there," Draco muttered.

"Oh please, she'll be there. She wants to see Hermione suffer, plus I'm sure she'll have some choice words for her. She just won't do any of the hard work," Ginny declared, sure of the Slytherin's action.

The group discussed everything for a few more minutes while they hurried and ate, each one trying to come up with a solution. Hermione promised everyone that she had a plan for tonight and that she'd be fine on her own. As it was Luna and Ginny were prepared to sneak out and be her backup if she needed them, but Hermione didn't want them getting in trouble for being out past curfew. As the bell rang, signaling the end of lunch, everyone rose and said their goodbyes. Hermione gave Draco a tight hug, promising to stay safe tonight, before giving him a heartfelt kiss. She watched as the blond and his friend headed outside, Blaise talking with Luna with a slight blush on his cheeks.

Ginny elbowed Hermione in the side, pointed looking at the pair and giving her friend a wink. They both giggled as they said goodbye, each heading to their own classes. Hermione ended up sitting with Neville and Pavarti during Charms, Lavender having chosen to sit with Ron. Pavarti wasn't too happy but she wanted to support her friend, even if Ron could be insensitive most of the time. Hermione had a hard time focusing in class, but luckily they had been working on the same charm all week and she had gotten it fairly quickly. She let her mind wander, what was going to happen after everything quieted down tonight? Would the two of them even have time to go look at the cabinet? Everything was coming down to the wire, they didn't have time for Pansy's stupid schemes. By the time Charms ended, Hermione was in quite the mood, huffing to herself as she made her way to Arithmacy. She was going to have to eat a quick dinner if she was going to find time to prepare for tonight.

Hermione took her usual seat, pulling out all her notes while she waited for Draco to come in; she had a few more questions for him, hopefully he had some answers. He came in briskly, breathing a little heavily as he took his seat next to her, gathering all of his things in front of him.

"Man, I really hate having Herbology right before this, now that I'm trying to keep my grades up, I can't be late anymore," he panted.

"Just be lucky you don't have Divination, that would be quite the trek," Hermione whispered.

"I never took that class, bunch of rubbish, I'm surprised you took it really."

"It didn't last long; I was ambitious that year, I wanted to learn about everything. Say, where should I plan to meet up with you tonight? And how will Pansy know where to find me?"

"Oh, at the Great Hall doors. I suppose you didn't get a good look at the schedule after the meeting. It said that all upcoming patrol partners should meet up at the Great Hall, so each partner has an equal distance to go."

"Oh, that's brilliant, they really thought ahead with this whole thing didn't they? I guess they really want this to work out. Okay then, I'm sure Pansy must be aware of that too. That actually takes care of all my questions, thanks," she smiled. Before Draco could respond, Professor Vector strode in, calling for attention. Hermione and Draco both attempted to pour themselves into the lesson and focus but with everything going on in their heads, they kept getting distracted.

Draco turned and looked at Hermione, hoping he'd be able to copy her notes but he noticed that she was doodling on her paper as well. He sighed and gave up too, they'd have to borrow notes from someone else in class today; at least it was the weekend so they'd have plenty of time to work on it. As long as they got through tonight, everything else would fall into place. He kept himself looking busy, so Professor Vector wouldn't give him detention, that was the last thing he needed. As soon as the bell rung, Hermione heaved a sigh, already planning on asking Fay if she could borrow the notes from today. Her and Draco tiredly packed their things and went to dinner, Hermione explained that she'd eat a quick dinner and then disappear into the Common Room. If she was lucky she'd be able to talk with Harry before it was time for her rounds.

Draco accompanied her to the Dining Hall, giving her a whispered promise to meet up with her as soon as possible tonight. He watched as she walked over to the Gryffindor table, sitting with Red and Longbottom; with a longing sigh, he turned and made his way towards his table. Blaise was nowhere to be seen and Pansy was ignoring him, choosing to engage Theo in conversation. Draco looked up at the enchanted ceiling, he couldn't see the stars through the low hanging clouds and he wondered if that might have been an omen for the rest of the night. Draco shook his head as he returned his gaze to his plate, since when did he start seeing omens. Just then, Blaise made a late entrance, quickly coming over to sit by the blonde, panting as he started picking food from the golden plates.

"Draco, I think I've figured something out," he started, glancing around the table. "Let's skip dessert, I'll explain before you have to go to see Snape."

"Umm, alright. Hurry up and eat then, Pansy looks ready to let the hounds loose on Hermione."

Blaise nodded, tucking into his meal with gusto, while Draco was still deciding what to eat. He could feel the tension knotting his stomach, this was just like before, only a few weeks ago when he was all alone in this. But this time, the tension he felt was because he feared for someone else's safety, not his own. With a frustrated grunt, he piled some random food on his plate and shoveled it in his mouth; he figured that the faster he ate, the sooner the night could move on. He was still forcing himself to eat when he saw Hermione get up and hurry out of the Hall; he hoped that whatever she had planned would protect her tonight. Noticing that Blaise was also done, he cleared his throat and stood up; they might as well get this discussion out of the way, it was already close to 6. They walked out of the hall casually, trying to avoid glances but Pansy watched them go. As soon as they were around the corner, they hurried to one of the empty classrooms, Blaise casting a Silencing Charm so they wouldn't be overheard.

"I'm not really sure if it was planned or not, so keep that in mind, but I overheard Pans talking with Greg and Vince before they came down to dinner. That's why I was a little late, I didn't want them to realize that I was there and draw attention to myself, so I waited a bit. But she was telling them how she had spoken to Snape and so far everything was going smooth. She told them to make sure they kept out of sight when they followed Granger."

"I guess that means they don't have a specific place to lure her, at least I'm hoping."

"Yea, it kinda sounded like they were just going to follow her and wait until Pansy gave them some sort of signal. But Weaslette was right, it definitely sounds like Pansy is going to be there."

"Well I told Snape about it, so, now we wait. It's infuriating that I'm going to be stuck in his office while all of this is happening. Pansy is clever when it comes to hurting the competition," Draco admitted, dragging his hand through his hair.

"Well, Hermione knows about it right? And Snape, so she'll be fine, she's brilliant, we all know that."

Draco nodded his head in agreement; after a moment another thought popped into his mind, "What was it that Pansy had you listening for the other day, when you were sitting at the Gryffindor table?"

"Oh, I'm not sure, but I think she wanted to make sure that those lions weren't planning anything, or had ideas about her plans. I told her that they were all loud and obnoxious; generally talking about the upcoming Quidditch match."

"Did she buy that?"

"Yea, I mean, everyone here loves Quidditch, and Weasley is on the team. She wanted to know what you and Hermione talked about. I just made something up about her wanting to keep you caught up with Arithmacy and all your other classes."

"Thanks mate, you're the best. You don't think she suspects anything?"

"Naw, not with my aloof attitude that I've been giving off all these years, I've got the perfect cover," Blaise grinned, before adding with a shrug, "Oh, I also figured that Theo isn't in on the plan, but we still can't count him out for sure. Just basing that off of the fact that he wasn't there when Pans was talking with Vince and Greg."

"Alright, sounds good, thanks again for keeping your ears open. I'd be in hot water without you on my side. Let's head back to the dungeons, might as well work on some homework before I get called in to Snape's office."

With a quick wave of his wand, Blaise got rid of the spell and opened the door, quickly checking left and right to make sure no one was in the hallway. Once sure the coast was clear, he waved Draco out and they made their way to the Slytherin dungeons.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope everyone likes this chapter! Hermione has a lot on her plate but she will be speaking with Harry soon! Hopefully by the time they finish their discussion, everything will be clear, I know some of you feel like she's been unfair to Harry. But just a reminder, this is written from HER point of view and she's allowed to get mad! You can't begrudge her for that, I'm trying to keep it realistic, and to me, that means having her get mad some times when Harry and Ron do something to upset her. Anyways, hope everyone is still enjoying the story =)


	24. Making Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Hermione finally talk things out, Draco and Snape spend their time together talking about everything.

*Gryffindor Common Room*

Hermione was going over her handy work, wondering if there was anything else she might be able to do. Just then, the Gryffindors started coming in from dinner and the room got louder. She quickly tucked the map into her robe pocket, throwing the garment back on, just as Harry and Ron came through the portrait hole. Heaving a sigh, she walked over to her friends, giving them both a small smile.

“Hey guys, how are you?”

Ron gaped at her, surprised she was talking to them at all, “Uh, I’m great I guess.”

Harry just shrugged, looking at her carefully obviously wondering what she wanted. There was a slight pause as they were all unsure of what to say next, but Hermione took the plunge.

“Harry, could I talk to you, in private please? No offense Ron, it just has to do with Draco and I know you don’t like hearing about him,” she explained, not wanting to appear like she was blowing him off.

Ron nodded his head, walking over towards the fire, sitting with Dean and Seamus while Harry and Hermione walked back out of the Common Room. They wandered down the stairs until they came to an empty classroom; once they entered, they sat at a desk, facing each other.

“I wanted to tell you something, and I don’t want you to get mad okay?”

“I can’t make any promises, not without knowing what you’re going to say,” Harry countered.

Hermione sighed, “That’s true, just try though, okay? I just want to tell you that, I can finally, without a doubt, tell you that Draco is not a Death Eater.”

“And what proof do you have, his word?” Harry laughed.

“No, his arms, he has no tattoo. He must have been bluffing when you overheard him on the train. We were studying together a few nights ago, and he had rolled up his sleeves. There was a distinct lack of Dark Mark on his arm, either of them.”

“He might have hidden it somehow, to try and convince you that he’s safe,” Harry said, needing to believe Malfoy was up to no good.

“I don’t know Harry, his arms looked the same, I don’t know what magic you could use to cover up the Dark Mark. But he’s also only ever been nice around me, we talk about homework, or classes; he’s nice to Ginny and Neville. He hasn’t done anything shady at all, and I’m with him for a good portion of the day. And now, we’re even patrolling together, so there won’t be any time that he’s sneaking around the castle at least.”

“I still don’t believe he’s entirely innocent of everything. His past is just too dark, and so is his family. That’s just the way it is for me, sorry Hermione. But I believe that you are telling me the truth, maybe he is truly been nice to you and it’s not an act. But I still want to keep an eye out on him, and I want you too as well, for all we know there is a way to cover up the Mark. I won’t bug you about it anymore though, and you really do seem happy; although with that being said, if he ends up hurting you, I won’t hesitate to hunt him down.”

Hermione smiled at her friend, “Thanks Harry that means a lot to me. And I will always keep an eye on him, regardless of the fact that he’s a Malfoy. Because I’m one of your best friends, I’m more than aware that people might try to use me to get to you. I won’t let it stop me from getting close to anyone, but I’m going to go straight to you and Ron if they do anything that seems shady. But all that being said, I am really happy right now with Draco, but it is dampened by the fact I am kinda fighting with you and Ron right now; which I hope we aren’t anymore by the way.”

“Why were we really fighting in the first place?” Harry asked.

“Well, I was upset with the way you just assumed that I was going to be a spy for you, and that it seemed you really believed my relationship with him was fake. It really made me mad, even though you have a very legitimate reason to be wary of him; it felt like you weren’t taking my feelings into consideration at all,” Hermione explained.

“Oh, yea, I guess that makes sense, I didn’t really think about the way I was saying things, I was just so focused on getting to the bottom of everything. I’m sorry that I made you feel that way, and I suppose I was kinda ignoring your feelings. I didn’t mean to, I swear,” Harry apologized, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry too, I shouldn’t have just walked away when I got mad, it would have been more conducive if I actually explained it to you then. But I guess that’s why they say you can’t control your emotions,” she reciprocated.

They laughed and hugged, happy to be talking again, he had missed talking with her and getting her opinion on things, and also help with homework of course.

“I wonder how things will go when I talk with Ron, I don’t know if he’ll ever really accept this, no matter what I tell him. He’s a hothead, always has been, you think I’d be used to it by now,” she sighed, thinking of her other friend.

“I can talk to Ron for you, although he’s not likely to listen to me either, he usually comes around in time though, he just has to warm up to the idea.”

“Oh speaking of talking with friends, you need to talk with Ginny. I know you two had a row the other day and it seemed really bad, but Ginny has feelings that you just kinda stepped on, and Ginny being Ginny, well, you know how she is. I’m not saying either of you is right or wrong in this matter, just that I really think you two need to clear the air. Do your best to stay calm, and remind her to stay calm too, it will only get worse if both of you start yelling at each other again. She really likes you Harry, so when you trod on her feelings, it only hurts her more; that’s why she reacted the way she did, keep that in mind.”

“Wait, she, likes me? Like really likes me?” Harry asked, mouth open.

“Yes, she has for a long time, but don’t tell her I said that. You can be so thick sometimes Harry. That’s why she got so mad at the way you were acting, she cares so much for you, but because of those deep feelings, she reads into things a lot more. The sooner you two make up, the sooner we can all hang out again and we won’t have to feel like we’re choosing between friends.”

“Wait, I don’t want to hang out with Malfoy!”

“Oh, I didn’t mean that, I just meant, like, if you and Ginny are talking again, it won’t feel like we’re only hanging with Draco because it will make you mad. If we can all reach a truce, Ginny and I can hang with you and Ron, and hang out with Draco and not feel like we’re betraying anyone. I mean, Draco still isn’t a big fan of yours either, but he doesn’t really talk bad about you, because he knows that Gin and I are close to you, so he keeps it to himself. But I think in time, he’ll come around,” Hermione explained, hoping what she said made sense.

Harry chuckled, “Why am I not surprised that he isn’t a fan of mine, that’s a shocker. But I do see what you mean. It’s like when Ron started dating Lavender, I kinda felt like I had to choose between you and him all the time and I hated it. But then we all kinda reached an understanding and could hang out together, for a bit at least. Sometimes Ron does go overboard when he’s with Lavender. I’ll see if he’ll talk with me now, might as well have everything settled tonight if I can. If the Common Room is destroyed, you’ll know it went badly.”

They both broke out in laughter, completely believing that a fight with Ginny would lead to destruction; arms linked together, the pair left the classroom to head back up to the Common Room, it was almost time for Hermione to start her patrol. She ran up to her dormitory, making sure her defenses were in place. 

*Snape’s Office*

When Draco entered his Godfather’s office, Snape was nowhere to be found, he figured the Professor must be checking his supply closet again. As he waited, Draco tried sitting in one of the chairs, but he was too wound up with worry to sit still for too long. Minutes later, when Snape finally appeared, Draco was on his 6th circuit of the room; Snape cleared his throat and pointed to the chairs, silently ordering him to sit. He dropped into the chair, leg bouncing to let out his worried energy.

“So, now we wait, how will we be sure that she’s okay?” Draco asked, not waiting for the older wizard to speak.

“Well, I just got back from discussing this with the headmaster and Professor Flitwick; both of them seemed sure of Miss. Granger’s safety. Besides she is aware of the plan, she’s more than capable of taking care of herself, she’s proven that time and again,” Snape simply stated from behind his desk.

The blond nodding, knowing he was telling the truth, “What else did the Headmaster say?”

“He wants to know about your progress after Easter break, more than likely he’ll set up an appointment for Monday night, when you get back.”

“So everything depends on our progress, of course. What about afterwards? When the cabinets are working again?” Draco pushed, needing to know more.

“That all depends on Bellatrix, she’s pushing hard for attacking as soon as possible. Of course I’m doing my best to delay it, Dumbledore wants it to be as close to the end of term as possible.”

At his words, Draco slumped in the chair, every time he heard it, he was reminded that Dumbledore was dying. Soon. Clearly before the end of the year; and everyone is going to know he was involved. Even knowing that this was Dumbledore’s wish, he almost couldn’t handle to pressure. When he started to think about when he’d finally face the Order, he broke out in a nervous sweat; his reception all depended on Hermione. What if they didn’t believe her? What if they cast him out regardless?

“Draco, calm yourself. Getting worked up about the plan won’t make things easier, remember all that your Aunt has taught you. Hide your emotions, especially the ones of unease.”

“I know, if they sense weakness I’ll be done, it’s just so stressful. How can Dumbledore be this calm about his own death?”

“He’s had a lot of time to come to terms with it, remember he’s already dying, this is just his way of making sure you are safe. He’s planed things out in ways that we can’t begin to understand, we just have to trust him and do as he says,” Snape revealed, admitting that he didn’t even know everything.

Draco sat in silence as he contemplated his elder’s words. Maybe that made it a tiny bit easier on him, knowing that Dumbledore was only trying to utilize his inevitable death to help others. Others mostly meaning himself, a boy that had gotten into something he couldn’t understand. As he looked back on his life, and his choices, he didn’t think he’d ever grow into the kind of man Dumbledore was. It seemed that he was always putting others before himself; how many times did he take students aside and counsel them, wanting to put their education first? Draco had been raised to only further himself and his name, to bring pride to his Father. Even know, when he was doing his best to find the right path, he was interested in his own safety. While it was true that he wanted Mother and Hermione to be safe as well, maybe even more than himself, he couldn’t deny that he was afraid to die.

As if Snape could read his mind, he spoke up then, “Draco, while it’s good to look up to the Headmaster, never forgot that even he doesn’t know everything. He too has made mistakes.”

Draco nodded slowly, wondering what it was that made Snape say that, but before he could think on it any longer the door to Snape’s office opened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know the scene between Harry and Hermione probably seems a little short, but every time I read through it, I feel like everything was brought into light and wasn't rushed. They have been friends for a long time, and have been through a lot together, so really, once everything is in the air, it shouldn't be hard for them to just let it go. And, there will be a scene between Ginny and Harry, they get to talk everything out as well; so don't worry, everyone that is fans of Ginny and Harry will get to see that. I felt like it would be rude to just allude to the fact that they talked to get other and moved on. So be on the lookout for that =)


	25. Late Night Altercations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hermione has prepared and now it's the moment of truth, will she be ready for Pansy's schemes?

*Great Hall*

With her wand in her arm holster, and Harry's map hidden inside her robes, she was as ready as she could be so she headed down to the Great Hall. She tried to calm her nerves as she approached the large doors, her heart was racing, she knew that something was going down tonight and she had to feign nonchalance. It wasn't long before Pansy appeared before her, usual pained look on her face whenever they were forced to interact. She looked Hermione up and down, smirk appearing on her face, trying to intimidate her.

"Well Granger, it's your first time patrolling with Draco and he's already ditched you, how does that feel?"

Hermione just sighed impatiently, "What are you talking about Parkinson?"

"Draco doesn't want to patrol with you, he begged me to take his place. It seems like he's already tired of your inferiority clinging to him."

"Right. And I'm to believe you are willing to do rounds with me? Draco wouldn't just ditch me, if Adrian found out he'd be in trouble," Hermione scoffed, crossing her arms.

"That's why no one is going to tell him, for all they know poor Draco isn't feeling well, and I, being such a good Prefect, decided to take his place," Pansy commented with a sickly sweet smile on her face.

"Whatever, I was planning on having us start by making our way up to the Trophy Room, then moving along towards the Hufflepuff basement-" she started to explain.

"Why would you do it that way? That's so inefficient Granger, I thought you were smart."

Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose, "It is efficient because that's where a lot of students choose to hangout first passed curfew."

"Whatever Mudblood, if you want to start there go ahead, waste your time, I'm starting by the Gryffindor tower, since you lot love to be out late."

"We're supposed to patrol together Parkinson!"

"Well if you want to, then follow me, otherwise you do what you want," Pansy called over her shoulder, walking away.

Hermione paused, unsure if she was expected to follow the other Prefect; but Pansy promised Draco she wouldn't do anything to get in trouble over. So this must be her way of escaping, if anyone asked, she did show up and talked about patrolling with her in Draco's place. So she hmphed loudly and stalked off, letting Pansy know that she won. As soon as she was out of sight, she carefully pulled the map out of her robes and held it close; she kept her pace slow, she didn't want to show up too early and have Professor Flitwick miss them. It wasn't long before Hermione could hear faint, clumsy footsteps behind her, it had to be the two goons. Double checking with the map, she feigned ignorance and kept walking, she didn't want to spook the oafs following her. When she came up to the last turn, Hermione glanced at the map again, noting Pansy's position: she had taken another path and was laying in wait just before the Trophy Room. Typical. Quickly tapping the map with her wand, she put it way in her robes and put her wand back into the sheath.

"Stupid Parkinson," she mumbled as she walked further into the hallway, "she should have just stayed behind, fat load of good it does to patrol in opposite directions."

She continued grumbling to herself, hoping to get a rise out of the other girl, but Parkinson had patience and didn't alert the girl of her whereabouts. Just as she came up to the entrance of the Trophy Room, she heard a gruff voice call out.

"Petrificus Totalus," Goyle cast, pointing his wand at her.

Hermione felt the spell hit her robe and she froze, hoping they were all too stupid to notice the small flash of blue light. She tottered slightly, before losing her balance and falling awkwardly against the wall. It was then that Pansy finally appeared, laughing at the petrified Prefect; as far as she knew, everything was going perfectly. Goyle and Crabbe started laughing as well, proud that they managed to catch her off guard; Hermione was trying very hard to fight back a smirk.

"Well, well, what have we caught boys? Looks like we found the Mudblood, all alone," Pansy crooned, stepping closer. "Crabbe, get her wand for me, I can't use magic or it will show up on my wand, please."

"Accio wand," he mumbled, holding his hand out to catch her wand.

But nothing happened. Crabbe looked to Pansy, clearly confused, but she was too busy eyeing Granger to notice.

"You don't have your wand Granger? That's foolish. And as a Prefect, very unwise; were you hoping that Draco would protect you? That you confess you left your wand behind and he'd take pity on you? Looks like you made a horrible mistake then doesn't it?" Pansy said, stepping even closer to her prey.

Hermione bit the inside of her cheek, she need Parkinson to take just a few more steps.

"That does put a little damper on things though, you see, I was hoping I could just break your wand. As a Mudblood, you shouldn't even be here practicing magic, you don't deserve it. Especially when you flaunt your abilities in front of all us Purebloods," Parkinson rambled on, hoping to hurt the girl's pride. "But I'll just have to humiliate you so-"

SMACK.

Pansy's speech was suddenly interrupted when Hermione's fist connected with her cheek; the girl stumbled and Hermione caught her with a left hook. Before her two flunkies could react, she disarmed one and stunned the other. Now that Pansy was the only one left to with a wand, she pulled it out and fired a curse at Hermione. But she was faster and quickly deflected it with it with a Shield Charm before falling back into the Trophy Room.

Pansy became enraged, how had Granger gotten out of the body bind? And when did she get a wand? She must be using Crabbe's since she disarmed him. She fired more jinxes and curses into the room, hoping to hit Granger with a rebound or catch her off guard. Just as she was firing off an 'Incendio' Professor Flitwick came running into the room.

"Miss Parkinson, what in the blue blazes are you doing?"

Pansy whirled around, wand still raised, and glared at the Professor, nothing was going the way it was supposed to tonight.

Professor Flitwick immediately disarmed the girl, and called out into the room to find her adversary. He was surprised when Hermione Granger appeared from behind one of the statues, casually holding out Crabbe's wand.

"Thank goodness you came Professor, these fools decided to attack me. I know dueling is frowned upon, so I was uncertain as to how to deal with them," Hermione explained, looking at the other girl with disdain.

"Miss Parkinson is this true?"

"Of course not Professor, she's lying! I was escorting my friends back to the dungeons so they wouldn't get in trouble and Granger here decided to attack us. Look at Goyle, he's unconscious," Pansy spat out, trying to turn the tables on the other girl.

Professor Flitwick raised his eyebrows and looked back at Hermione, clearly not believing the outrageous story.

"She was supposed to be patrolling with me, since Draco couldn't come for some reason, but we couldn't agree on where to go. So we separated, which was unwise I know. But then those two decided to jump me, and Parkinson came out of nowhere and decided to join in," Hermione explained, staying as close to the truth as she could.

"Wand Miss Parkinson, and Miss Granger," Flitwick ordered, holding out his hand; both girls held out their wands, Granger handing over Crabbe's as well as her own.

He cast a 'Prior Incantato' on each wand, Pansy's showed her fire charm that Flitwick watched her cast, Crabbe's was the failed 'Accio' and Hermione's was her Shield Charm. For extra measure, he picked up Goyle wand and checked his, seeing the body bind curse he had cast. He revived the stunned wizard and handed Hermione her wand back.

"I think these spells tell a pretty clear story, matching up with Miss Granger's retelling, and not yours Miss Parkinson. The three of you, come with me, Miss Granger, did you want to continue your rounds alone?"

"Yes, I'll be fine, mostly thanks to you coming when you did. I'd think the rest of my night will be very uneventful," Hermione chuckled, smiling at the Charms Professor.

She couldn't help but gloat a little bit as she watched the Slytherins being led away, it definitely ended in her favor. But it was time to meet up with Draco in the Room of Requirement so she pulled the map out again and tapped it with her wand. After ensuring that no one else was out that shouldn't be, she made her way to the familiar room to wait for Draco. She watched on the map as Flitwick led the group to Snape's office; Draco was still in there pacing, waiting to be excused. Hermione wished she could be there when they were all brought in, Snape was sure to be displeased, plus he would back up Hermione's story of Pansy promising to take Draco's place. Soon after, Draco was dismissed to catch up with her, so she put the map down and waited for him to come through the door.

Just three minutes later, the door opened and Draco cautiously entered, not wanting to surprise his girlfriend. He found the path that led to the cabinet, winding through the various mountains of forgotten things until he found the witch he was so fond of. He could tell that she was concentrating, she was practically sitting inside cabinet as she studied it. As he came closer, he made a conscious effort to put more weight into his step, allowing the sound to carry to her ears. Once she registered the noise, Hermione stood and turned around, smiling as soon as she saw Draco.

"So, how did your little altercation go?"

"Pretty uneventful, Parkinson is very predictable. But I am glad for the heads up, no point in walking into a fight completely blind. What happened when the three of them were escorted into Snape's office?"

Draco laughed, remembering their faces, "I was told to leave right after they arrived but Pansy looked extremely put out, Greg and Vince were just confused and a little scared. I'm really hoping that this will finally convince her to stop acting out against you, Snape can be really convincing."

"I really hope so, as much as I dislike her, I don't want to see her get expelled just because she won't stop attacking me."

Draco took a few steps closer, wrapping his arms around her, "So, care to explain how exactly you got out of that fight completely unscathed?"

"Quite simple really, I put a Shield Charm and a Salvio hexia spell on my robes; which was inspired by the twins believe it or not. I was lucky that none of them noticed the blue spark that went off when they hit me with the Body Bind Curse. So I just pretended to be petrified until Parkinson made her appearance, she said some nasty things, not that I'm surprised. And luckily I also put a Protection Charm on my wand sheath because she tried to summon my wand as well. And if she had gotten her hands on it, she would have broken it."

"Wow, I'm very impressed, you managed to cover all your bases, and I'm sure she's beside herself trying to figure out how you bested her. What happened then?"

"Well, she kept talking and eventually she stepped real close, so I punched her, twice. Then got rid of her backup, quite easily actually. So it was down to me and her, so she was forced to cast her own spells, she must have been pretty mad, she was throwing some nasty spells at me. All I had to do was hide and protect myself until Professor Flitwick appeared. He caught her right as she launched a fireball at me, so there wasn't much she could do to convince him she was defending herself. He even did a wand check on all of us which of course backed up my side of the story."

"Oh, you are so brilliant, I wish I could have been there to see you in action, although if I were, I might have really hurt Pans. I'm glad you were able to handle it without causing any harm, it just makes them look worse. Ready to get started?" he asked after giving her an appraising kiss.

"Ready if you are," Hermione confirmed, pulling out their list of spells.

Together they worked their way through the spells, Hermione pausing frequently to double check their work; they would take breaks to keep tabs on the Marauders Map to ensure no one was out late. They worked until just after 11:30 when Hermione noticed a student trying to sneak into the library, so Draco decided they should pack everything up and go intercept the late night studier.

"I suppose we should, it's almost time for the end of our shift, so we should be prepared to hand off duties," Hermione agreed.

Draco threw the cloth back over the wooden dresser and lit his wand; Hermione looked at the map one more time before dispelling it and putting it away. She followed his lead and lit her wand, both of them exiting the room and striding to the library. They knew no one else was out of their rooms so they went straight there, immediately spotting the door, hanging ajar.

Hermione tsked, they could have at least tried to hide the fact that they had entered; must be a younger student then. They shouldered their way into the dark space and called out, waiting for the student to show themselves.

Minutes passed and no one came forward, Draco was starting to get impatient, "Come on kid, whatever you're here for you can just come back in the morning."

Hermione elbows him, they didn't need to be scaring the kid, then they'd have to hunt them down; she'd rather they just appeared. "If you just come out, you won't get in much trouble you know, especially if you have a good reason to be here."

Draco rolled his eyes, "Who else breaks into the library to do something other than study?"

Hermione's retort was interrupted when a young Hufflepuff made his way out to them, eyes wide in fear.

"There you are, is it just you?" Hermione feigned, hoping he'd be more likely to open up if she was solicitous.

"Yea, it's just me ma'am."

"Can you tell me why you are in here at almost midnight?"

The young student fidgeted, clearly nervous, "I just didn't want my friends to see me… I-I was looking up…" he stopped, too embarrassed to go on.

Draco raised his arm and waved his hand in a circular motion, silently prompting him; he knew if he opened his mouth, he'd probably scare the kid.

The boy heaved a heavy sigh, knowing he had to spill, "There is this boy in my Potion class, and he was telling me about how he was having trouble in Herbology. I asked Professor Sprout and she gave me a list of books that are good for extra studies. I-I wanted to get better so that way maybe I could help him out."

Hermione's stern look softened as the Hufflepuff confessed, he was just trying to get in some extra studying. "But why did you sneak out to study?"

"I couldn't have my friends seeing me, they know I'm okay at Herbology, but it isn't my favorite. They'd want to know why I had the sudden interest in it. I just w-want to impress him," he finished, barely audible.

Draco turned towards Hermione, eyebrow raised, he was seriously breaking curfew to study for some other boy? He was never going to understand some people, he had a hard enough time figuring out why Hermione studied as much as she did.

"Well, that's a noble reason, but still you've broken curfew and that's against the rules, so we're going to have to deduct points. But you know, this is a library, you can just check it out and hide it in your trunk. Obviously you are okay with staying up late, so at least you can be comfortable that way," Hermione explained carefully.

"Yea, and that way, you won't get into any more trouble; there are any rules saying you have to sleep. Just as long as you are in your Dormitory, it's fine," Draco added, startling the kid by speaking.

"What do you say Draco? 20 points? Or maybe 30?"

Draco shrugged, "Go 25, it's in the middle. And count your blessing we found you and not Filch, or it would also be detention for you."

The boy's eyes widen in surprise, "Oh thank you so much! And don't worry, I won't tell anyone. I promise!"

"Alright, 25 points from Hufflepuff, and we'll escort you on the way back to the Great Hall, so no one else catches you out past curfew," Draco stated, waving the boy back out into the hall.

Together the three of them went to the Great Hall to meet up with the next patrol, the Hufflepuff was starting to yawn and drag his feet by the time they got there. They arrived a bit ahead of schedule, the other Prefects still on their way.

"So I think tonight was pretty productive, don't you Draco?" Hermione asked, killing time.

Draco nodded his head, they managed to add all the spells to wardrobe, hopefully over the weekend they could test it. He didn't want to say anything in front of this kid that would get around; but he didn't have time anyways, he could see the light from a pair of wands coming closer. He alerted Hermione to their presence by tilted his chin in their direction.

As they got closer, Hermione raised her hand in greeting, "Hey guys."

"Hi Granger, Malfoy. How was your shift?" the male Prefect asked as he dropped his wand, not wanting to blind them.

"Fairly quiet, a slight scuffle early on and then we just found this guy out late, would you mind escorting him back to the Basement, you know, since you're Hufflepuff too?" Hermione asked, patting the kid on his shoulder.

"Yea sure, no problem, that way you guys can go get some sleep."

"Thanks mate," Draco said, not wanting them to think he was being rude by staying quiet.

Both Hufflepuff Prefects looked over at him, slightly surprised that he spoke up. But they nodded in acknowledgment and waved the kid after them, "See you tomorrow!"

Hermione and Draco turned to head up to the Gryffindor tower when they heard one of the Prefects ask the smaller Hufflepuff, "Malfoy didn't go too hard on you right?"

After a slight giggle, they also heard him reply, "No, they were both nice about it, much better than running into Flich."

Hermione tried to stifle her laugh as they rounded the corner and started up the large staircase, "It seems that everyone knows about Slytherin's tendency to be a little harsh towards other Houses."

"Yea, yea, I know. But I was nice!" Draco defended.

"Yes, and I'm glad, you really aren't so bad after all," she acknowledged with a smile.

They trudged along in silence, both thinking back on the events of the evening.


	26. A Successful Evening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Ginny finally get the chance to talk everything out (I bet you can't guess how it ends, hahaha!) and Hermione and Draco have another eye-opening conversation before bed.

*Gryffindor Common Room*

Ginny was sitting in one of the armchairs by the fire when Harry returned to the Common Room; she had been slightly surprised to see the two of them leave together. But Hermione had always hated fighting with her two best friends, so it was inevitable that she would have been the one to start the talk. She was more surprised by the fact that Harry came over and sat down in the chair next to her, her temper was still flared, did he want to go another round? Ginny sat in silence, waiting for him to say something, maybe if she was lucky he'd have his head on straighter than Ron.

It was a few minutes before Harry finally felt brave enough to speak, "Hi, Ginny. I was hoping we could, um, talk… about everything."

To show that she was listening, Ginny closed her book, gripping it tightly in her hands, just in case she needed to throw it at him.

"I, I wanted to ask about what really upset you the other day, because I want to know what it was that got you mad. That way, I can try to not do it again, I don't like fighting. I honestly feel like by the end of the row the other night, we were both just mad and not really listening to each other. Do you want to tell me?" he asked, nervously clasping his hands together.

In the other chair, Ginny regarded him, clearly the conversation with Hermione went well if he was also trying to mend this bridge. "Are you actually going to listen?"

"Yes, and I promise not to start yelling if you don't," he told her, chuckling lightly.

Ginny gave him the smallest of smiles, knowing that she was more than capable of out-yelling any of her brothers. She was definitely her mother's daughter. "Well, what started everything was when you bombarded me in the library the other night. No, that's not right… what started it was that night we all studied together... When you refused to sit at the same table as Draco, you and Ron moved tables and then you told me to move.

"At first I had been excited, I thought you really wanted to help me study, but then when I saw the look on your face, I realized that I was wrong. You were just trying to pull me away from 'the enemy' because you think you have to protect me! I already have 6 older brothers, I really don't need another one," Ginny said rapidly. But she paused, realizing that she was getting mad again, so she took a few breaths, calming herself down before she continued.

"I was so mad at that, I'm very capable of handling myself, you should know that by now, especially after last year! But I was capable before that, I've gotten really good at Jinxes you know. But to you, I am still Ron's little sister, the one everyone has to look after. What makes it so much worse, is that you've never realized how much that hurts me. I've been waiting for years for you to see me as my own person Harry. So that was the last straw. Now I'll admit, that I did purposefully try and make you mad, because I wanted to upset you. I do apologize for that, it really only made things worse."

"I knew it! I just didn't know why," Harry commented "Although, I can understand why you got so mad now. You're right, I haven't seen you as your own person, I've been afraid to, we grew up together, you are supposed to be like a sister to me. Honestly, I've been fighting with my feelings this whole year, especially after I saw you with Dean; up until then, I didn't really know what true jealous felt like. By the time I recognized it, I was afraid to admit the truth, I felt like I'd be betraying Ron somehow. If that makes any sense," Harry trailed off, feeling like a weight just flew off of his shoulders. He hadn't realized how much he had needed to talk about this, how good it would be to finally sort out his feelings.

Ginny smiled at him, amazed that he really did feel something for her, "So all this time we could have been dating, but you've just been so confused that you didn't say anything about it?"

"Uh, well when you put it that way…"

Ginny leaned forward and kissed him, arms wrapping around his neck. Harry jumped, surprised by her sudden movement, but he smiled in the kiss, his chest exploding. When Ginny felt him smiling, she pulled away, giggling uncontrollably. She had kissed Harry Potter, the guy of her dreams, it had really happened. She giggled even more when she saw his red face and beaming smile, clearly he was just as happy about it.

"I'm still mad at you ya know," Ginny tried to confess through her giggles. "It was rather rude the way you verbally accosted me in the library."

Harry looked down, "That wasn't my brightest moment. I really felt like you were just pretending to be nice to him to get to me. But after I talked with Hermione, I realize that both of you really get along with him. For some unknown reason, honestly, it's weird for me. I'm sorry for that too, for thinking that you would fake a friendship with someone, even a Slytherin. You see the good in people, if they have any, you have so many friends, in all of the Houses because of that. I just didn't understand how someone like Malfoy could be deserving of your friendship.

"Plus I was horribly jealous that he got to spend more time with you than I did, my judgment was really clouded. That was not the way to approach you. But I am glad that we finally had this talk, now I can really see just how much you value your friendships. Because if you didn't really like Malfoy, you would never have gotten so mad about it, now that I'm calmer, I can see that. I'm glad that you're my friend Ginny," Harry finished, looking into her eyes, hoping that she knew he was truly sorry.

"Damn straight I was mad! I can befriend whomever I wish, it's my trust to give, and you and Ron are horrible at seeing that. Ron especially! But I'm glad that you've pulled your head out of your arse. I'm not going to apologize for sticking up for my new friendship, although I will apologize for all the harsh things that I said to you when I got mad. But I hope after all of this, I'm more than just a friend Harry Potter," Ginny countered, smiling slyly at the older boy.

Harry returned the smile, nodding his head, "Definitely more than friends. Will you be my girlfriend Ginny?"

In response, Ginny leaned forward again, giving him another kiss. Their celebration was cut short when Ron came down from the Dorms, seeing them kissing.

"Oi, when did this happen? I came down here wondering if you got back after talking with Hermione and what do I find?" he asked, almost dropping his chess set on his foot.

Ginny just laughed at her brother's expression, leaving Harry to tell him, "Um, just now? We talked everything out and well, now we're dating?"

"It's not a question Harry, we don't need Ron's approval! You can't be mad Ron," Ginny looked at her older brother, daring him to spoil her happiness.

"It's just… surprising is all. But Harry's my best mate, and you're my sister, I kinda have to be happy about it right?" Ron shrugged, trying to get over it.

Ginny got up and hugged him, happy that he wasn't blowing it all out of proportion; then she pulled him down into the last open chair, letting the two friends play chess together. She spent the rest of the night grinning, unable to believe that things were finally balancing out; she'd have to thank Hermione for getting the ball rolling. If she had waited any longer to apologize, Ginny might have started going crazy.

None of them noticed the smirks and gossip going around the Common Room, some students even exchanging money; it was about time those two got their heads on straight. Ron and Harry only played a few games before both of them started to yawn; Ginny suggested they all head to bed. Ron smartly excused himself first, looking away as the couple smiled at each other.

"Are we going to tell everyone?" Harry asked, reaching forward to hold her hand.

"Well, I'm sure by tomorrow, all the students will know, but if it's alright with you, I would like to write a letter to Mum. She's only kinda known about my crush on you for years, I think she'll be happy to have you come over as my boyfriend now."

"Okay, I'll be expecting a letter in the mail, telling me that under no circumstances am I spending the night as your boyfriend! Only as Ron's friend. That might get a little complicated," Harry mused.

"Good night Harry," Ginny laughed, agreeing with his statement.

"Night Ginny," he returned, leaning down to kiss her goodnight.

Both of them had huge smiles on their faces as they went up to their beds, Ginny writing a quick note to put on Hermione's pillow. Then she spent the next few hours smiling into her pillow, trying not to squeal like a five year old.

*Portrait*

As the pair reached The Fat Lady, Draco pulled Hermione into a soft hug, holding her close- the night had been rather draining for him. He knew he didn't have to say anything to Hermione about it either, all he needed was to have her in his arms and the stress melted away. Draco was started to feel like he could fall asleep standing, right in the hallway, when Hermione's voice reached his ears.

"I didn't tell you the good news did I? Before I went on patrol, Harry and I finally discussed everything. And there was no real yelling or disagreeing, just civilized talking. And I also told him that he needed to talk with Gin too, she was really upset with him. I hope it worked out for them too, I know she can be a bit of a hothead."

Draco couldn't hold back a snort of laughter, "Red, a hothead? That almost seems like an understatement. She's a firecracker through and through, bringing excitement with her everywhere. But she's the pretty kind, the one you like to watch… as long as she's not thrown at you."

"Draco! I'm going to tell her you said that!"

"Go ahead, I know she won't mind, she'll take it as a compliment. Just as long as her brother doesn't hear me say it there is nothing to worry about."

Hermione sighed at his words, "Speaking of Ron, I'm sure he's still very upset with me."

"Hey Princess, don't sweat it, he's a close friend of yours, as much as I'm loathe to admit it at times. He's always come around before. I mean there hasn't been a year that's gone by that I haven't seen the three of you sit in the same train compartment. Potter won't let him stay mad at you, and I'm sorry that I'm to blame for all of this."

Hermione sniffled and pulled her boyfriend closer, "It's not really fair for you to blame yourself like that, I know Ron doesn't like you, and you two have been nasty to each other, but we should be able to overcome our differences and see people for who they really are. I know you've been trying your hardest to be polite and he hasn't been making it easy. Harry said that he'd talk to Ron for me, so I just have to wait and see what happens."

"Don't stress about it Hermione, I'm here for you, Red is here for you, and everyone else too. Even Blaise is, just don't spread that around."

Draco's heart lifted when he heard her give a light chuckle, apparently he wasn't completely useless when a girl was upset. Truthfully, that had been one of his biggest fears when he started to realize how strong his feelings for Hermione were; he'd seen her upset time and again (and only some times because of himself) and had wanted to console her, but had no idea how to. He didn't grow up in a very warm household, loving sure, but not by any means warm. Draco only knew how to comfort himself, how to look out for his own well being. Every time he saw Hermione crying, he felt a knot in his stomach because he knew he'd never really be worthy of her, of being the right person to dry her tears.

"Draco, what's on your mind?"

"Wha- oh, sorry, I guess I spaced out," Draco stammered.

He bit his lip, not really wanting to talk about what he had just been thinking, but Hermione looked up at him with earnest eyes and he knew he couldn't keep it a secret.

"I was just thinking about how bad I am at crying, like dealing with it. Over the years, when I'd see you in tears, I'd always want to try and help, but I realized that I had no words of comfort. I had absolutely no idea how I could soothe you, I've never had any practice at it. So hearing you laugh just now at something I said really feels good."

"You shouldn't have worried, consoling isn't really something you practice at, I mean you can but, there are just some people you connect with and know what to do or say. And others that no matter what you do, you aren't going to help them so it's best to just leave them be. I'm one of the few people that can sit with Ginny when she's mad or upset, she just tolerates me best. Anyone else might get hexed so they know to stay away. Look at our first real moment together, back in the bathroom, we were both upset and had no idea what was going on but somehow, our real emotions shone through and we realized something about each other."

Draco was looking down at Hermione, fingertips brushing across her cheeks, "See, you're great with explaining stuff and knowing what to say. You didn't have to try and tell me I'm good at it already, or that Draco Malfoy could never be bad at anything, like Pansy would have said. I love that you are just honest with me, that you know the truth is better than just placating me."

"Plus, all that matters is that you do cheer me up, without even trying to, just by being yourself and I think that's the best part. When all it takes is just you to make me happy again, I think that means a lot for our relationship, don't you?"

Draco paused and thought about what she said, a large grin coming over his face, "You're absolutely right, I never really thought about that before. I mean, relationships are always cold and stoic, meant for pride and power, emotions be damned. But, with you, it is all natural and supportive, I can't believe I've missed out on this for so long."

Hermione beamed as she saw the raw emotion in his eyes, realizing that this was probably the first time Draco was ever experiencing something like this. And it made her happy that she was the one that was able to share this with him. She threw her arms around his neck, standing on her toes to get close to him, kissing his neck.

"I could stay out here all night with you Draco, just being happy and forgetting about all the troubles in the world. How can I be so happy with you when there is also so much turmoil going on around us?"

"Because in order to stay hopeful, we look for the light, it's what keeps us going strong. And now we can be strong for each other. I could stay here all night as well, but we both need rest, so I'm going to have to be the bad guy here, as usual, and be the one to say goodnight."

Hermione couldn't help but laugh as he said that, "Thank you, with me being such the goody-two-shoes, there is no way I can be the bad one in the relationship."

They stayed close for another moment before pulling away, Hermione blowing him a kiss and sending a rather saucy wink his way before quickly turning to the portrait. Draco stood still for a moment, rather shocked, but then he remembered her brazen kiss from the other night and flushes. Goody-two-shoes, yea right! But he knew he was the only one that got to see that side of her and it made him glow with emotion. His mind wandered to rather dirty places as he went back to the Dungeons get to some rest.

In the Common Room, Hermione took a moment to realize that the place wasn't in shambles, so that meant Ginny and Harry must have talked things out peacefully. With a satisfied nod, she went upstairs and into her Dormitory, changing into her pajamas and flopping onto her bed. She groaned when she felt a crunch under her head, it had sounded like paper and that meant someone needed her attention. She reached under her mass of curls and fumbled until she had the paper in her hands. She lit her wand and glanced at the note, smile suddenly pulling at her cheeks.

Hermione,  
I know you won't be back until late, and I hope your patrolling went well-  
but I have some awesome news! Harry and I did finally talk everything out and  
we totally kissed. We're officially dating now! I can't wait to tell you about it in the morning,  
so prepare yourself for an early wakeup call!  
-Gin

"Thank God! It's about time," Hermione whispered to herself, smiling uncontrollably. She was sad that she had missed it, surely Ginny had been ready to explode from happiness. But they'd have all morning to gush about it and she was sure that nothing could bring down a happy mood like that! She tucked the note in her desk drawer and extinguished her wand, her mind wandering to Draco as she drifted off to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, it's here! I can't believe how much trouble this section was giving me D: I did take a total break from both of my Dramione stories for a long time, hoping it would help, and it did. But the second half of this was just being a pain in the butt! I have no idea why, but I kept wanting to throw my computer through the window... so I wrote on my other stories and just left this one alone. But I did it, it's here! I wrote it in a rush, since I finally got the urge to write it, and my Beta/proof reader is asleep right now so pleeeeeease excuse any mistakes. I did my best to reread through this but I almost always miss something. Hope you enjoy this long awaited update and thank you everyone that has continued to read and enjoy this story!


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